Thinking about people who work hard, I cannot help but remember those who work within the mentally challenged community.  In fact, there is always a great deal of weariness.  Parents see no end to the responsibilities they must carry for the well-being of their children.  Young parents grow bone tired of their parenting chores which are harder and last longer than other parents. Having a mentally challenged member of your family can be compared to having a teenager who will never drive for the rest of your life. Much of the life of older parents involves lost of driving to activities and events.  Thinking about that makes me weary.

 Professionals who are not able to experience any growth with the people they serve often drop away from their duties because of fatigue or discouragement.  Michelle, who escaped working as an independent living home companion, said, “I was on call 24 hours a day.  I loved the people I worked with but there seemed to be no end to their concerns.  Guess I became too involved and loved the people I worked with too much.”  Add to this, funds that are never adequate and tensions regarding continuing rumors of additional cuts.  This is a formula that leads to a professional community who are physically, mentally and spiritually tired.

However, the weariness I’d like to address is what people who are mentally challenged experience each day.  Paul is a new member of our choir.  His disability lies within the autism spectrum.  Even though he is a young adult, his social skills are more limited than most kindergarten children. 

Nervous about his performance in choir, Paul quickly grows weary of the demands required to be a part of this team.  This is when he begins to scratch and even claw at his face and head.  A couple of weeks ago, his face was bleeding by the end of the hour practice and he had reopened an old wound in his scalp. 

Participating in a choir has become the highlight of his life and it is the culmination of a lifelong dream.  Therefore, my efforts are tuned to helping him relax and remain disciplined at the same time.  I tried without success to distract him by asking him to hold a pencil in his hands while singing.  He did it but figured out a way to scratch and hold the pencil at the same time.

Sally lives in another town.  She weeps each time Special Gathering meets because she has started to steal.  It started only a month ago.  She tried to walk out of a store with a large bag of candy crammed into her pants.  It appears that she was observed on a camera because  two uniformed and armed policemen were waiting for her as she exited the store.  Fortunately, her staff had seen the large bulge in her pants and retrieved the candy before they left the store. 

Over the next week, other incidences happened.  It appears that each time she has attempted, she has been caught.  Punishments has been tried and she seems ready for help.  Yet, each time her cunning has worked the punishments to her advantage.  Even a “scared straight” jail experience did not put a plug into this new pension for thief.

After prayer, last week, her eyes pled with me.  “Am I going to be able to stop now?”  she asked me.  I hugged her and said, “If you really desire to stop, God will help you.”

Compassion is our greatest weapon against weariness regarding all those who labor.  Of course, we need to allow for discipline to take effect.  However, when people approach us weary of their own failed abilities.  When we approach the weary and they are asking for prayer and help, our position must be to pour out God’s love and compassion.