"I Need Help"

 Good morning!  Let’s keep our eyes open for opportunities to serve others today! 

 Years ago when I taught the 2’s and 3’s, we had a semicircular table.  The children sat in wooden highchairs like the ones we see in restaurants.  They can be pushed right up to the table.  The little ones learn to climb up into them fairly quickly.  Getting down however, is usually a different story as one of my students found out one Wednesday night. 

 She climbed up into her chair "all by herself" at the beginning of class and had no problem whatsoever.  When class time was over, I began helping everyone out of their chairs.  But this little lady insisted on getting down herself.  

She stood up in the chair and put her right leg over it trying to reach the rail and use it for a step. It was too much of a stretch for her, she couldn't reach it.  She tried the same thing on the other side of the chair.  Still no luck.  She stood up again - straight up in the chair and looked down at the floor and then up at me. 

      "Mrs. Robin I can't get down." 
      "I see that," I said.
      "I think I might fall, so I think I need help." 
       As I started toward her she said, "I think you better hurry!"
   

Of course, I got her down with no mishaps.  She seemed quite happy someone was there for her.  This young girl sized up her situation,  realized it was too big for her to handle on her own and then asked for help -- and asked for it to come quickly!

How many times do we do just the opposite of my little friend?  How many times do we keep trying to handle all our problems on our own without asking anyone for help?  How much better off would we be if we sized up our situation and then reached out for support?  If we simply looked at one of our sisters and said, "I'm struggling with this.  Can you help me?"

What is it that keeps us from asking for help when we need it in our spiritual lives?  We all have struggles and trials. We should be kind and tenderhearted to one another.  Jesus knew we would need each other.  I think it is one reason He built the church. 

Sometimes we need help with practical earthly things.  We should be able to lean on each other in these times too.  We should love and trust one another so much that we aren’t afraid to ask others for help.  

We need to know it is OK to ask for help – but we also need to be ready and willing to help whenever someone needs us.  Our church family should be able to depend on us.

 Colossians 3:14 is a great verse.  While it doesn’t speak specifically about giving or receiving help and support, it is fitting we use it here.  “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”

Christ above all things - Robin