journey onWord with us

Yesterday I was listening to music on my way-too-complicated cell phone.  However, with just a little effort, I found a station that took me back to my roots – southern roots! It was on that station that I heard a song that impressed, fascinated and convicted me all at the same time. It was called The Broken Ones, by the Talley Trio. Day by day you and I are surrounded by the broken ones. And day by day you and I live with broken parts, and often broken hearts. Jesus came to a world of brokenness and hung on a cross to be broken for us. In a small way, you and I can reflect His love by stepping out and loving the broken ones. And make no mistake; you will rub shoulders with a broken one today.

Picture a little girl named Maggie coming home one day with a soiled and broken Raggedy Ann doll. She found it in a garbage can, with an arm missing, and one of the button eyes hanging by a thread. She carried it to her room, and placed it with her other dolls. Note the words in the first chorus of the song.

She loves the broken ones, the ones that need a little patchin’ up
She sees the diamond in the rough and makes it shine like new
It really doesn’t take that much, a willing heart and a tender touch
If everybody loved like she does, there’d be a lot less broken ones.

Who in your life reaches out to the broken ones? Is it you? It really doesn’t take that much. Follow Christ through the gospels and you will find him reaching out regularly to the broken ones. Think about the woman at the well, the lady taken in adultery, or the myriad of physically broken that He healed, and even how He restored a broken Peter. Broken people need(ed) Christ, and the broken ones need us. You and me! More of the song…

Twenty years later at a shelter on Eighteenth Avenue
A seventeen year old girl shows up all black and blue
with needle tracks in her left arm, almost too weak to stand,
She says, “I’m lost and I need help”, as Maggie takes her hand
And says, “Come on in!”

Chorus:
She loves the broken ones, the ones that need a little patchin’ up
She sees the diamond in the rough and makes it shine like new
It really doesn’t take that much, a willing heart and a tender touch
If everybody loved like she does, there’d be a lot less broken ones.

Bridge:
If you call her an angel, she’d be quick to say to you
She’s just doing what the One who died for her would do

Love the broken ones, the ones that need a little patchin’ up
See the diamond in the rough and make it shine like new
It really doesn’t take that much, a willing heart and a tender touch
If everybody loved like He does, there’d be a lot less broken ones
If everybody loved like He does, there’d be a lot less broken ones.

Connecting with some music from my heritage yesterday caused me to reflect on the broken ones. They are all around me (and you). With tender hearts and a willing touch, you and I may just help a diamond in the rough. Today is the day to love like Jesus does, and help those among us that need a little patchin’ up. Look around; you will find them.

If you feel broken, and need encouragement, email us at: journeyonwordwithus@gmail.com