On Christmas Eve, a couple of weeks ago, blizzard like conditions hit in Oklahoma. I was enjoying a night at my mom and dad's for the holiday, and decided it best to wait out the storm at their house. Two days later after digging 4 vehicles out that were stuck in a 3+ feet snow drift; I finally made it back home. Life had thrown us all a proverbial "curve ball".
Isn't that the way life is sometimes? So how are we to react in such situations? Do we get mad at the people who were "too ignorant" to know how to avoid getting stuck, and are now blocking the way for everyone else? Do we sit back and say "you made your mess, so clean it up yourself"? This is closely related to the often used favorite “you made your bed..." Do you brag about how your 4X4 truck would never have had such a problem? Or do you see a person in trouble, which has made a mistake, who has gotten in over their head, which does not have the ability that you have, and help them dig out of the mess they are in?
I know that helping others dig out of a mess can be difficult. There you are with a shovel in hand, snow and ice all around, the wind freezing your face, digging out one person after another. The next thing you know you are slipping around and about to fall yourself. Yet, after time working together everyone is free again, and you have just been blessed with an opportunity to show the love of God to your neighbor.
Are you glad that God didn't say to us, "you made your mess, now dig out of it yourself"? Are you glad that Jesus didn't say "I never would have fallen into that snare of the devil, what is your problem?" Are you glad that instead Jesus came to seek and save the lost? Are you glad God sent his Son to heal the sick and set the captive free? How are you going to respond the next time you have the opportunity to help someone dig out of a mess?
Sometimes we have to let people learn on their own. After you've helped someone out of a mess 50 times. Sometimes its their turn to learn a life lesson. But I am all for helping people when they are lost and need direction in life or giving a helping hand and expecting nothing in return.
ReplyDeletegood thought Kim, sometimes we help people by "not helping (enabling)" them. It really gets back to the golden rule. Sometimes love forces us to make difficult decisions in hope that the end result will be good. No doubt God realizes this when he "disciplines" his children. Thanks for the comment
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