Monday, January 21, 2019


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 co-leads an in-home small group. She serves as a mentor to young women, and is a member of Oakwood’s Peace Team, helping people work through conflict.