“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”1
It was a very hot summer day when Herman Trueblood was walking home from a cool dip in the ocean when he noticed a man perspiring profusely as he was trying with the help of his two young sons to push his broken-down car up an incline.
Trueblood looked at the struggling trio and said to himself, “Here is an opportunity for service. You ought to give them a hand.” An opposing voice within chimed in, “No, It’s none of your business. You’ll get yourself all hot and dirty. Let them take care of their own responsibility.”
Eventually he yielded to the better impulse, put his shoulder to the task and all working together pushed the car over the incline and on its way.
Before they took off, the father, putting his hand out to Trueblood, said, “I’m very glad that you came along. You had just enough strength, added to ours, to make the thing go.”
Trueblood noted, “Years have passed since that hot day, but I can still hear that man saying, ‘You had just enough strength, added to ours, to make the thing go.’”
There are numerous people around us who are barely making it over their private hill of despair when, with a helping hand, they could make it.
Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please use me to be a helping hand to a friend in need who just can’t make it alone. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”
1. Galatians 6:2 (NIV).
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