Its that time of year when you hope the good in mankind comes out. The time of year when you become more aware of peoples needs, kindness is shown, and helping hands are extended. I would hope that this would happen throughout the year, but its most evident during the Holidays.
Today, a friend was told she was being evicted because the pipes in her rental house burst because she didn't have heat. She didn't have heat because the gas was shut off earlier this summer. She works hard, very hard, and it just broke my heart to hear that someone would do that to her the day before thanksgiving. My immediate thought was "Why won't they pay to turn it on and then have her pay them back?" A few minutes after I got the text she calls me and says "Its all fixed!! They are going to turn the heat on and have me pay them!". How stinking cool is that? God heard my thought, not my prayer...just a thought! He took care of her by speaking to the hearts of those who were evicting her and they reached out a "helping hand".
A little while ago, after hearing this good news, I was at the grocery store picking up last minute items for our Thanksgiving meal. I was in line to pull out and traffic was stopped. A car was stalled. In it was a mom and her small child. One man, then another, and then a third, all from different vehicles, got out and pushed the woman and her child to a parking spot out of harms way. One of the men began looking at her car for her. I sat there in tears because it was amazing to see strangers come together and lend a "helping hand" to someone in need.
2 years ago I took the boys to see a Pacers game. It was December and it was cold outside. As we walked to the Stadium we passed a homeless man sitting by the stadium. Me, along with others, walked by him ready to go enjoy a game of basketball, seemingly not giving him another thought. At the game I gave each boy $20.00 to spend on whatever they wanted as far as snacks. As we left the game that night, we headed towards the car and noticed the same man still sitting there in the cold. We walked a little ways and my oldest son looked at me and said "Mom, can I give him my money?". I said "Kaden, its your money. You are free to do with it anything you'd like.". So, he turned and walked back to the homeless man. He bent down and gave him the money he had in his pocket and asked him if he could give him a hug. The man took my sons hand and hugged him and with deep appreciation said "Thank you". I stood there proud and humbled. Humbled that it took a teenage boy to make me stop and notice. As we drove away, the snow began to fall. My son began to tell me how concerned he was for that man and then he said "I wish I could go hang out with him and find out his story. I want to know why he's homeless. I want to know he's going to be ok". We prayed for that man that night. Kaden reached out a helping hand to him and I hope that the hug and the kindness extended by a teenage boy touched him more than the few dollars he received.
There are lessons all around us. People have stories. They aren't where they are by accident. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our own lives that we forget there are many out there who need a "helping hand". I challenge you today to be more aware. Open your eyes and your hearts to those around you. I promise, when you help someone, you will be changed as much as or more than they are.
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