What If

What if I found ways to help everyone around me?  I was struck today with an overwhelming urge to do something to help my neighbors and my community.  I always feel this more strongly when I'm not feeling my best.  I think it's a strong reflection of how discontent I am to just rest and not do much of anything.  Definitely not a strength of mine.

My injuries from the car accident earlier this week are healing.  And I have God to thank for that as well as a lot of friends and family who have been praying for me.  I have been unable to wash dishes or do many of my normal chores for the better part of a week.  It's been driving me crazy.  I like getting things done at the end of the day, you know?  Anyhow, today I'm feeling much better and more like myself so I know I'll be getting back to daily chores this week.  In the meantime I've had lots of time to think about stuff.

And today I've been trying to think of ways I can help my neighbors and my community.  And at first I thought it would be an easy task.  I mean who doesn't need help with... something, right?  But then I realized that I can't just go up to people's houses and ask them what they need help with.  I mean I wish I could but folks just aren't very trusting these days.  And in my neighborhood people tend to avoid their neighbors more than anything else.

I just have a deep yearning to reach out to the families who live all around me and see if there is anything I can do to encourage them or help them.  I really have no idea how to do this.  I don't want to make people uncomfortable or bother them.  But perhaps these are some of the same reasons my neighbors haven't related to me much either. Hmm.

I've also been trying to think of ways to do something to encourage local police and fire departments. They really do a lot for everyone with very little thanks in return.  I mean I know its their job but still. Especially the cops.  They have to deal the most with bad attitudes and equally bad situations. So I imagine having community members do something as simple as letting them know they are appreciated and respected could really be a boost of encouragement for them.

I'll be bringing these desires to Bible Study this week and asking fellow Christians to pray with me about this too.

Only God knows how each of our lives will impact others.  But when we spend time thinking of ways to help people I know God blesses those thoughts and plans.  So how about you?  Who can you help this coming week or month?  What can you do to get the ball rolling even if you yourself can't do all the work?