The Right Help
By Susan Klein
“Suppose a brother or sister is without
clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘go, I wish you well; keep
warm and fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is
it?”
I was stuck! Having almost finished my grocery shopping, my
loaded cart decided it was no longer going to move. In the very back of the
store, I wondered, “How am I going to make it all the way up to the
check-out?” I inspected all the wheels,
but I couldn’t find anything wedged in that could be the cause. The handful of
shoppers in the area took no notice.
With seemingly no options, I shoved the cart across the floor,
which was no easy task. An employee came by and I quickly voiced my predicament
so he might offer help. He checked the wheels, got the stuck one to move a tiny
bit and then said, “That should help.” I moved a few inches and the most ear-piercing
screech came from the bum wheel. He just chuckled, shrugged his shoulders and
walked away. A few inches more and the wheel not only screeched but then froze
up again.
As I heaved the cart forward, many heads turned to see what the
screeching noise was, but none offered assistance. “Really, couldn’t someone
just get me a new cart?!” I muttered under my breath. Eventually, I turned the
cart around and pulled it backward the rest of the way. The wheel remained
stuck, but at least the screeching stopped.
Driving home, I mulled (stewed?) over the situation. To his
credit, the worker had at least made an attempt to help. But when his effort
failed, he simply walked away. I had to wonder…how many times might I have
offered the wrong kind of help to someone? Worse yet, did I ever turn a blind
eye to the needs of a person right in front of me? How many moms with screaming
toddlers have I passed by in a store? How many times have I said, “I’ll pray
for you,” when I could have easily done something tangible to help?
I don’t typically make New Year’s resolutions, but I think I
can/will resolve to be more aware and more compassionate. As a child of the God
who IS LOVE, and has imparted to me that very love, I will resolve to be more
actively mindful of those around me.
“Lord, give us eyes to see, hearts of compassion, and hands that
help.”
GOING DEEPER:
1. In what ways have you been shown “the right help,” when you
really needed it?
2. How might you be a vessel of compassion to someone?
FURTHER READING:
Susan
is married to Mark, and has two adult children. She enjoys teaching Bible
studies, writing, and tutoring with the Literacy Council. She is a member of
the Peace Team at Oakwood and also co-leads a small group.
