Who are you blessing? And Why Not?

A couple of weeks ago the day started beautifully. I had four early morning calls to make and some writing that was due. Got it all done before 8:45 and headed to my 9:30 appointment. It was a cool day so I decided to take my little MG with the top down.  I wheeled into the grocery on my way to grab some Diet Dr. Peppers and cash for lunch.  A front row spot was available - bingo - what a day! As I pulled in the engine died. Not great but that sometimes happens with a 50+ year old car.  I grabbed my items and had 9 minutes left to make it to my next stop 5 minutes away. Jumped in the car and ... nothing. Not even that dead battery click. Nothing.  I did all I knew to do - that consisted of opening the hood and giggling a couple of wires.  Shockingly it didn’t help :).

Well, it wasn’t too hot and I was stranded so I decided to just walk home. It was a little over a mile and I didn’t mind.  I suppose it is times like that that I miss really small town life - in a mile walk in Hamilton 5-10 people would have stopped to pick me up - but I do love Spring Hill.

As I made the corner an older lady in a small car pulled to the side and motioned me to her window. “Do, you need a ride.”  Well, she was going the other direction and I hated to inconvenience her so I said, “no, I’m fine, it’s not too far to my house, but thank you.”  She said: “Well, do you have some money I could have?”  Really? Really?  She wanted to help me to get something out of me. That’s easy for any of us to do - to just help people who might now or later help us or make us look good.

Fast forward to last night.  We’d had supper in Cool Springs and coming back it was raining pretty hard and the lightening show was powerful.  Melanie was driving. As we turned onto Saturn Parkway there was a lady standing beside her stranded car.   Melanie wanted to stop. We pulled over. As I got out of the car I heard her. She was sobbing. Her car had broken down and her cell phone battery was dead. I offered her the use of my phone - she dialed and got an immediate voice mail.  I asked if we could give her a ride. She lived on the far side of Columbia.  She said her car had died at 6:30 and she’d been trying to get someone to help her ever since. It was about 8:45 - no one at all had stopped. Truthfully, and sadly, I probably would not have noticed her either.

I used to pick up hitchhikers and most anyone along the side of the road. Now, I find myself too busy or fearful or just oblivious to what is happening around me.  I need to “faith up” and to pay better attention. To look out for those in need and those hurting.  I know there are a million reasons not to but here’s are two good reasons to help others Luke 10:25-37; Matthew 25: 31-45.  I think I’d better start noticing and helping those less fortunate than I am.  It doesn’t matter where you are on the “need” scale, you can always find someone who is worse off than you are.  At church, at school, at work, in public places - it may be different for all of us but I better figure out how to notice and then act.  How about you?

Who are you blessing? And Why Not?