Tsunami Devotional by Steve Keaton
Wednesday, September 9th, 2009
Title: A Helping Hand
Text: Ecclesiastes 4:10 (NIV)
If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
Back in the day, which is cool talk for “When I was a teenager”, there was a commercial on television that was quite funny. I’m not sure it was suppose to be funny. As a matter of fact I would bet that when the producers were making the 60-second spot, they never imagined it would cause such laughter. But anyway, it was a commercial for one of those “Medic Alert” companies that provided older adults with a device they could wear around their neck allowing them to push a button that would signal the proper authorities in case they were involved in an emergency in their home with no one around to assist them. In the commercial an elderly, grandmother figure was shown sprawled out of the floor making every attempt to crawl toward a piece of furniture so that she could hopefully pick herself up off the floor. As she made her effort she uttered those now infamous words that have been forever etched in the history commercials. “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up!” From the moment I saw that commercial and heard those words for the first time, every time I see someone fall down I think about that older women and say those words to myself. I know. It is a sickness.
However, in today’s text we see something not quite as humorous. It talks about those around us who are in need of a compassionate and caring hand to help them back to their feet when they take a tumble over one of life’s many obstacles. The verse speaks of those who have been pushed to the fringe of our society, shoved to the outside, driven to the place where they are out of sight and therefore often out of mind, and because of that don’t have the hand of a friend to aid them in the often daunting task of gathering themselves, finding comfort and then the confidence to begin to walk on life’s path again.
Our world has become increasingly more self-centered and absorbed with what is taking place in our own lives. The old phrase “What have you done for me lately?” has never been more at the center of our thought process. But my question to you today is “What have you done for others lately?” Have you consciously opened your eyes to the needs around you as you travel of your path? Have you noticed those lying helplessly by as the world streaks by with the hustle and bustle of the day to day? Have you reached out a hand of compassion, caring and Christ to a friend in need? A friend in need of physical, spiritual and emotional help? Have you allowed the bright light of your Savior to bring comfort to those seeking and needing help? Please remember that part of our mission as servants of God in this world is to be the helping hand. It starts with seeing the need, then extending the hand. When you do so, you’ll be amazed at how God will use you.
Something to Think About:
· What can you do to begin to notice those around you who have fallen?
· Have you noticed the fallen around you but not acted to help them? Why?
· Can you name times in your life when you have helped those needing a helping hand?
· What were the circumstances? Why did you help them and maybe not others?
· What can you now do to help all in need that you encounter in your life?
A Few Minutes with God:
God, I pray that you will stir my heart and give me a passion to seek out and meet the needs of around me. Remove the world view from my eyes and give me the ability to see the world and the needs of that world the way you do. Give me the compassionate heart and confident spirit to do all you are calling me to do. And by doing so make an eternal impact on the world I live in. Amen.
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