“Look
for the Helpers”
By Tracy Smith
“not looking to your
own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
Philippians 2:4
(NIV)
After
the tragedy of the Boston Marathon bombing, it was so hard to continue to hear
the awful details of what happened that day. It was tragic and so very sad. Through
Facebook, I was reminded of a quote by Mr. Rogers:
"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'"
Those were the stories I
focused on and the stories I continued to read and watch. Over and over again,
you would hear stories of people running towards the danger to help
others - - with no regard for their own safety. You heard stories of runners
finishing a 26.2 mile run and continuing on to local hospitals to see if they
could donate blood, and average citizens giving first aid in order to save a
life. Boston
locals stepped up in many ways also: offering a place to stay for stranded
runners, feeding them and offering the use of their phones to runners that were
lost after being diverted off the course of the marathon. Amazing.
Those examples showed how
people responded in an extreme circumstance. What can this look like in our
everyday lives? Luke 3:10-11 (NIV) says this, “ ‘What should we do
then?’ the crowd asked. John answered, ‘Anyone who has two shirts should
share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.’” We
can do this by looking out for people in need, and when we see the need, try to
find a way to meet it.
There
are so many options: volunteering at a non-profit that helps those in need,
helping an elderly or disabled neighbor with yard work, offering a glass of
water or a cup of coffee to the person fixing your washing machine, giving a
frightened child a hug, or just smiling at the cashier who is having a rough
day. The opportunities are endless, if we just take the time to slow down and
look. I hope someday that someone remembers me as the helper who made a
difference.
The
next time the news shows something scary happening, take the time to look for
the helpers.
GOING
DEEPER
1.
Is there someone in your world who needs a helper? If so, are you willing to
pray regarding what you can do to be a helper?
FURTHER
READING
Along
with being a wife and mother to two boys, Tracy
is an administrative assistant at Oakwood, serves on the Women’s Ministry
Special Events Team and leads a great group of Junior High girls.
