Wednesday Word: Surprising Offers
The weather was absolutely gorgeous this past weekend. If I were in charge of the weather, that’s what fall would look like all the time around here.
Joelene and I took advantage of that beautiful weather and made our first drive through Crazy Woman Canyon, something we had been told we needed to do since we came out for the interview. On our first attempt last spring we made it to the lower entrance only to find the road closed.
Summer and better weather came, but so did schedules, the move into the new house, and other obligations; not to mention a strong desire to not be in the canyon with a thousand other tourists at the same time. So we put it off until last weekend.
It was as advertised and well worth the drive. Joelene and I took a slate of obligatory pictures to share with friends, and she found a couple of spots that she wanted to get the two of us together. In one, someone driving the opposite direction saw us balanced precariously on a rock with Joelene trying to get a good selfie and me trying not to fall off. They stopped, the woman stuck her head out the window and said, “Would you like me to take your picture?”
At another, less precarious spot, Joelene was taking another selfie of the two of us when a woman who was also stopped with her group, asked, “Would you like me to take your picture?”
Neither of these two people were asked if they would take our picture, they simply volunteered to do so.
This got me thinking about two things. First, what if we kept our eyes open to noticing when people were in need and stopped what we were doing to offer assistance? That could be anything from offering to take someone’s picture to helping carry groceries to you name it. Rather than look to explain away why they need help, we just offer it.
And second, what if, when we think we’re doing fine, we accept help when it’s offered? There are so many instances when graciously accepting help is as much of a gift as offering help.
If this became our primary way of operating, we just might find ourselves living into Jesus’ example of servanthood. And that would be a very good thing.
Blessings,
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