Packing a Loaded Cliche

The last thing a hurting person needs is cliches. What is a cliche? Anything we say to avoid having to really care. A Scripture verse, even a perfectly appropriate Scripture verse, can be a cliche if used flippantly and without any real concern for the individual and their feelings. Some Bible verses have been so misused it is hard to use them and not have them come out as cliches. Particularly bad is any cliche which leaves the impression that if you were just more spiritual you would not be so upset about the situation.

Scripture requires that we genuinely  sympathize with each others' pain (1 Corinthians 12:26,27; Romans 12:15; Galatians 6:2). The problem is that really caring about people hurts. It is so much easier just to pull a cliche out of the bag to avoid actually caring. The one who cares will take time to listen and show they care before they say something, and what they say will come out of their genuine caring. This is often difficult to do, and I often wonder if I fall short. But we need to make the attempt and not hide behind a cliche.