“Life is Fragile: Handle with Care.” I was thinking about this statement yesterday evening.  I discovered these words were stamped on hundreds of posters, stickers, and other promotional materials in the 1970’s when the Dow Company undertook a massive campaign to raise awareness about the importance of safety. The focus for safety was for both within and outside of the workplace.

Life is fragile.  We would all agree. To be fragile means that something is easily damaged or broken.  It also means something is delicate and vulnerable. Have you experienced the fragility of life? Where do you see or experience life as fragile?

I found the word fragile used once in the Bible, referring to those who forget God.  It says, “What they trust in is fragile; what they rely on is a spider’s web” (Job 8:13-14).

Contrasted with a spider’s web, which is easily pulled down or disturbed, these words met me as I awoke this morning. “Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” Years ago, I learned this scripture, as a song. I awoke with the tune, and lyrics taken directly from 2 John 1:3. Is there anything more we might need for a journey fraught with fragility? “Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you” the song lyrics continue, taken from Jude 1:2.

Jesus acknowledged that life would not be without trials, discouragement, concerns, and cares. In speaking of afflictions to come, in the lives of his disciples, he tells them: “In me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Grace, in fragility, is given from Jesus.

Mercy, in fragility, is given from Jesus.

Peace, in fragility, is given from Jesus. 

Life is fragile.  Millard Hooker, who conceived of and implemented the poster campaign, was hoping to also communicate the importance of looking out for not only yourself but others. How appropriate this is as followers of Christ. We come alongside each other, in our fragility, offering the gifts of grace, mercy, and peace, given to us from God, so that we can also share them with others.  “All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us (1 Corinthians 3:4).

Today, you may want to pause. Sit with your fragility and the words from the above scriptures. Ask Jesus, the giver of grace, mercy, and peace, to multiply these gifts to you, from him. I also include the link for the scripture I memorized, in song, years ago.  You may want to copy and paste the link, pausing to listen, meditating on these scripture words.

With care and in prayer,

Hosanna! Music - Grace Mercy and Peace (2 John 1:3; Jude 1:2 - NKJV)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkwgSWFr43k