Stop a minute and take a look at this sidewalk. 

Notice the flat center section? And then to either side of it, do you see the two slightly inclined sections?

Two years ago, when my back pain was at its most extreme, I tried walking up the right, inclined section and nearly broke down in tears. The pain was so bad I had to stop and catch my breath halfway through. 

“It’s too much!” I moaned to Joan who, fortunately, was there to take my hand and help me the rest of the way up.

Today, thanks to lots of drugs, lots of injections, lots of physical therapy, and my new Medtronic™ spinal cord stimulator device, I look at that section of sidewalk and laugh. “Piece of cake,” I say to myself as I stroll effortlessly from one side to the other.

That experience helped me realize how individual and subjective the idea of “too much” can be. My “too much” moment two years ago is probably laughable to you. To me at the time though, that hunk of sidewalk might as well have been the summit of Long’s Peak.

So why is it, do you suppose that some of us can be so quick to dismiss the “too much” responses of others? For example…

• Why do we scoff when a member of a disadvantaged group tells us that the stereotypes and prejudices they endure on a daily basis are “too much”?
  
• Why do we doubt the effects of the unjust political and economic systems on people who tell us the injustice has become, “too much” for them to take anymore?
  
• Why do we dismiss the pain experienced by a neighbor who tells us her grief is “too much” to bear?

In that moment we are comparing our healthy, advantaged, pain-free circumstance to the circumstance of a person in distress and then pronouncing them somehow unfit or “less than.” We might not actually say it out loud (at least I hope we don’t!), but our attitude sends a very clear message that says, “Suck it up! Rub some dirt on it! Stop being such a baby! You’re just trying to get attention!”

It is as if we believe the suffering of our neighbor is somehow contagious and we want to be careful not to catch it.

But Jesus wasn’t like that. He met people where they were. When they told him they were struggling or in pain, he didn’t question the validity of their complaint. He gazed at them with eyes full of compassion and said,“Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, NRSVU). 

What do you think… is that a practice we could each try and adopt today?

Abundant blessings;