Two celebrity and high-profile people took their lives within the last week…and of course, it made the evening news.
What doesn’t make the evening news is when non celebrities and non – high profiled individuals commit the same act. Then it becomes word of mouth.
We are talking about having good “mental health, here.”
The 5 Warning Signs of Mental Health RISK include:
• A Change in Personality. If someone is acting like a very different person, or not acting or feeling like themselves, this is but “a warning sign.”
• Uncharacteristic Anxiety, Anger, or Moodiness….
• Social Withdrawal and Isolation….
• Lack of “Self-Care” or Risky Behaviors…
• A Sense of Hopelessness or Feeling Overwhelmed…
Obviously, we can all fit somewhere into these categories in varying degrees from hour to hour, day to day or week to week.
But a word to the wise is this: know that there are resources available to you. There are always resources…always.

The reason this is on my “radar” is because of the gospel text. Jesus is being accused of a “psychiatric disorder” or of having “a mental illness.”

People take it so far as “to question” whether or not he is actually “demon-possessed.” His family comes to rescue him and to take him back home into the confines of the family and hearth.

The concern was that perhaps Jesus had “lost control of his mental faculties.” The question was – “was he deranged, delusional, demented, unhinged, insane, crazed, out-of-his-mind?” Was he actually demon possessed?

Certainly he was not incoherent, raving, babbling, irrational or hysterical. Nor was he wild, frenzied, agitated or anxious.

But he “had” changed. That much was obvious! He was zealous for the Lord of Hosts. He was all about this “Kingdom of God-talk.” He was different. He was “excited for the Lord.” And, he was referring to God, as being his heavenly father.

For sure, he was causing a stir and already antagonizing the powers that be. He was talking a “little bit crazy.” Saying things like: “Turn the other cheek,” “Give your cloak also,” and “Forgive seventy times seven times.” What kind of talk was that?

He was seeing the world differently. He was becoming “an embarrassment” to his “family.” Some said he had become unraveled or that he was berserk. His family was worried about “what might become of him?”

Both you and I know, things do not always end well for such people. His behavior was becoming more and more outlandish.

It was as if, he was becoming a religious fanatic, a misfit, a zealot or worse.

His authority was constantly being questioned. Who were his people? Where was he from? What was his story? Where was he formally trained? Who were his teachers? And then, he seemed to be challenging “all of the authorities” in public with every given opportunity. Both religious and political opponents he was verbally chastising and calling out…

He was getting “too big” for his robes. Things were going to his head! Everyone was talking. He had been pretty successful on his recent preaching tour. But he was making a name for himself: both good and bad. He was boldly proclaiming this “Kingdom of God” and driving out all manners of demons and healing all kinds of people that had been ill.

Where did “this power” come from? He was a Nazarene. People knew him, they knew his family…something was obviously amiss.

He was becoming more and more popular with the crowds, so much so, that it was getting hard for him to enter towns and it was even becoming more difficult for him to grab a bite to eat.

He was looking more drawn, more tired, more slight and he had gathered a group of followers that he called disciples. They followed him everywhere and seemingly hung on to his every word. It was all very disconcerting. So, his family sought to reel him in…to bring him back home, to put an end to all of this nonsense and to quiet him, once and for all.

But he would not listen.

According to Mark, the first gospel to be written, Jesus’ biological family are numbered among the non-believers and even opponents of his ministry, Yes, they think he is crazy. They want him home where they can keep him out of sight and out of trouble…and protect his life.

And his response is to break completely with his family of origin. The only family he is interested in – is the one who does the will of God and who follows him.
From this point on, Jesus’ family is an “open family.” The door to joining his family is — open.

It is a family based on love. Love of God, love of neighbor and love of the self…and all are welcome.

Remember, there are always resources available, always!