Let me not live a life that’s free
From “the things” that draw me close to thee –
For how can I ever hope to heal
The wounds of others I do not feel –
If my eyes are dry and I never weep,
How do I know when the hurt is deep –
If my heart is cold and it never bleeds,
How can I tell what my brother needs –
For when ears are deaf to the beggar’s plea
And we close our eyes and refuse to see,
And we steel our hearts and harden our mind,
And we count it a weakness whenever we’re kind,
We are no longer following the Father’s Way
Or seeking His guidance from day to day –
For, without “crosses to carry” and “burdens to bear,”
We dance through a life that is frothy and fair,
And “chasing the rainbow” we have no desire
For “roads that are rough” and “realms that are higher” –
So spare me no heartache or sorrow, dear Lord,
For the heart that is hurt reaps the richest reward,
And God enters the heart that is broken with sorrow
As he opens the door to a brighter tomorrow,
For only through tears can we recognize
The suffering that lies in another’s eyes.[1]

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[1]Helen Steiner Rice, “Just for You”: A Special Collection of Inspirational Verses (New York: Doubleday, 1967), 42.