Help Up.

Once again it has been a long time since I wrote anything for my blog. Things have a way of surrounding you and you get so caught up in the busyness of life and time just goes by.
 I was on my way home from work one evening this last week. I was enjoying the decreased traffic, as I had stayed a little late to finish some things. As I was driving in this certain area I noticed a man on the opposite side of the street trying to get up. He had evidently fallen. He was a very large man and was very muscular in his upper body. It was obvious he had an infirmity in his legs, as he was not bending his knees. Imagine trying to get up form the ground without bending your knees.
 Well even in the brief time I was viewing all of this I could see that he was not able to get up. I could see him try and then sit back down and try again. He was struggling very hard and was having no success. As I continued down the road I am playing this mental ping-pong of should I go and help, should I just go on? I look back once more in my rear view mirror to see him try and fail once more to get up. I take the next left turn lane and make a u-turn.
 I had to go past him and find a parking place about a half of a block down the street. I walk towards him and see he is still struggling to get up. As I come up to him I ask sir may I give you a hand up? He says “sure” and says, as I extend my hand out to his, “it would be better if you just lifted me from my back.” I reached around his chest and lift as best I could, as he was a very heavy individual. (I wonder what people driving by thought about as they see us two out there trying to get him upright again?)   :)
 We manage to get him upright again and his cane in hand. I see beads of perspiration on his face, as he thanks me and says, “You’re a saint! “ We briefly talk and he shares how he had tripped over this small crack in the sidewalk as he states it “I was not paying attention and tripped”. Well we talk briefly and we go our separate ways. As I drive home many thoughts go through my head. Thoughts of how I am so blessed and take it for granted. Thoughts of how he called me a “Saint” when I know all so well that is so far from the truth. How we can get so caught up in our lives and the business and forget the simple blessings of sound mind and body, is humbling, to say the least when we get a reminder like this!
 I was apprehensive when I started to go to help this man and I suppose there is something to be said about that as well. You see this was an African American man to use the politically correct term and I have to be honest and confess that played a part in my apprehension as well as not knowing if he was perhaps mentally disabled in some way, etc. It is silly when something or someone is different we seem to jump to a state of apprehension or get anxious about the “what if’s”.
 How many opportunities to help someone do we just drive by everyday? How many folks out there just need a little help to get back up? How many friends could we make if we just stopped and helped? How many silly prejudices do we really have deep down?

I am writing this and hope I can make it clear that I don’t want any accolades about this. This was a blessing to me and I am thankful for the experience. I felt really good on that subsequent drive home and convicted as well. Don’t take your blessings for granted! Don’t be so caught up in the busyness of life that you drive right by a potential blessing for you as well as someone else!



May God convict us all of having a heart for people!