Who Do You Help

A long time ago, okay, well, 6 1/2 years ago, I met an old roommate of mine for lunch. We hadn't seen each other for 9 years (yikes!). We each had 2 kids, girls, of course, and we made our lunch date into kind of a play date. Two was only about 6 months old. It's important to note that she was an extremely difficult baby. And that is an understatement.

After we played at a farm with our kids and caught up on each other's lives we sat down for a quick bite to eat. At the end of our lunch Two was FREAKING out. I was trying to pack up my stuff, hold her and feed her a bottle at the same time. My girlfriend offered to hold her for me. Being young and proud I declined. She sat and watched me for a couple minutes and then simply stood up and took Two out of my arms saying something that changed my life,

"If we don't help each other, who do we help?"

That simple question would end up being literally one of the most profound things I had ever heard. My initial thought as I stuffed things into the diaper bag was, "Duh, have you heard of Africa?" But for the next few weeks that question haunted me. Over and over it echoed in my head. "If we don't help each other, who do we help?"

For the first week I thought of the hundreds of very real problems all over the world that needed help. I was irritated because I didn't have the means or the education to do anything about it. The second week I watched everyone around me. I saw all the material things they had, their happiness, their lifestyle and was so sure that certainly the question did not apply to me. The place I lived was just fine. There were no needs. I just knew I had to help people far away. But how? The third week I humbled myself a little and asked God over and over what he wanted me to do about this. After all, I figured with as often as the question entered my thoughts, He must have been putting it there.

That is when the change happened. I finally resigned myself to "helping each other." I began praying for opportunities to help other people. This wasn't anything new, but this time I was almost challenging God. Not really the best attitude to have with the big guy. I wanted Him to show me what to do and who to help, if in fact I was to help those around me. Let me tell you, it didn't take long at all before I started to have these opportunities. What I realized is that everyone puts on their church clothes to go to church. By that I mean most people aren't going to look like they need help or even ask for it. I began to have some very personal experiences with God guiding me through them. It was a fabulous journey that I am still on. Early on in this experiment (if that's what you want to call it) I was kind of putting God to the test. I don't really recommend this-He is always right. One time I made an extra dinner not knowing who was going to need it and honestly thinking that nobody would because everyone in my neighborhood was just fine, remember? When it was ready I hopped in my car and started to drive around waiting to know who the dinner was for. He told me. I wasn't expecting it either. I took the dinner to the door and the lady that answered asked me how I knew she needed help. I was amazed. Wow, I thought. I hadn't even humbly prayed to be led to this person yet here I was. After that I had a little talk with God. I told him I was sorry I was such a little snot. Sorry that I thought I knew better. Sorry that I hadn't even realized that my help was needed here in my very neighborhood. I asked Him (sincerely and humbled this time) to please allow me to continue having opportunities to serve. It became a new kind of game where I was excited to find out from Him what my next little assignment was. Like I said, I have had some very personal experiences. I have also been the recipient of these kinds of services. Times where I was in need and praying for help and God literally called on the phone or knocked at the door in the form of a friend, neighbor, or acquaintance.

So, this holiday season while I wish I was in Ukraine adopting 4 million kids and changing the world, I will look, with God's help, for those service opportunities right here in my own backyard.