Stopping To Help

There is a little country church down the road from our house.
My daughter got married in that little country church, almost four years ago.
It was not the church she attended, so she needed permission to get married there.
There were things about the church that captivated her.

It is an historic church, with a graveyard beside it.
The dates on the tombstones go back hundreds of years.
The steeple, which is softly lit at night, can be seen from miles around.
The bells, with their comforting sound, toll every hour.

I think of her wedding day when I drive past the church.
I drive past it most every time I need to go anywhere.
There are stables on the side of the church building.
The stables held the horses and buggies that were how people came to church back then.

I was stopped at that lovely intersection.
There was a small truck facing me, turning the same way I was going.
I let him go first.
He waved a small, thank you, with his hand.

I turned and followed behind him.
We no sooner went down a small hill, the truck stopped.
A car coming the other way was stopped as well.
Part of a tree had fallen in the road.

It was a dreary, windy day.
The trees were bending low with every gust.
The fallen branch could not withstand the strength of the wind.
It gave way and had nowhere else to go but into the road.

I was not even a mile from my house.
I could have put my car in reverse and turned around in the church parking lot.
However, the young man in the truck, who just waved a thank you, took action.
He got out of the truck and began to move branches to the side of the road.

The man in the other car got out as well.
That man began to move branches, too.
One very large branch was too heavy for one person.
Neither man spoke, yet instinctively, they both took an end of the large branch.

With a little effort, they moved the heavy branch to the side of the road.
Leaves and sticks still littered the road, but now it was passable.
I was so grateful to the men.
I was especially grateful to the man who took action first.

It only takes one.
It only takes one who is willing to help.
Others will follow when one takes the initiative.
There are those who wait for others to begin and then they will join them.

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.” (Fred Rogers)

Right now, more than ever, we need to look for the helpers.
Some of the helpers are obvious.
We see the first responders, doctors, and nurses on the front lines.
But do we notice the not so obvious helpers?

Do we notice the ones who are checking in on friends and neighbors?
Do we notice the ones who are visiting the elderly, sometimes through a window?
Do we notice the ones who surprise a child with birthday surprises on a doorstep?
Do we notice the ones who are praying fervently for the needs of many?

Do we notice?

The young man in the truck stopped to help.
There was no ticker tape parade or brass band to thank him.
There was no reporter in his face with a microphone to capture his every thought.
There was just the three of us on the road.

So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.  But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,  so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:2-4)

There were actually four of us on the road.
The fourth was God, who sees everything.
No fanfare is necessary.
Pleasing God our Father is reward enough.

There are helpers.
Look for them.
Thank them when you can.
Even if it is simply a wave through the front window of your car; it matters.

 

2 responses to “Stopping To Help”

1. Lovely. Thanks for noticing and sharing this.

   Reply

   • Paula,
     Being at home so much during this time, I was grateful to witness this Whisper. It blessed me. I’m glad it blessed you.
     Gina

     Reply