A good friend of mine is always helping his neighbor. Every time I talk to him, he and his wife are on a mission to pick something up, repair a door or window, change the oil on a car, or help to tutor some kids. Rarely are those activities for himself or his family. He has two teenaged children, he and his wife both work, and he is of average means, but he is always reaching out to help. And when Jon and his wife help someone, it is usually not a simple gesture – not a “one and done” or handing someone a couple of bucks and moving on. No, his gestures dig deep; they ask questions and they aren’t afraid to really listen and take the risk of getting involved.
His whole family has invested themselves in helping another neighbor family with a lot of children. They assist with homework every day, tutoring them as they would their own children, helping to transport their kids, even engaging with teachers at school because the mom struggles with the language. Time and again, I have heard him speak of these kids almost like his own—sharing meals, experiences, and the gift of time.
As COVID-19 creeped into our lives and our everyday routines began to change, I remember Jon saying something about, “I know it seems like we have not adapted our lives to social distancing because we keep interacting as we help people. My wife and I are fortunate to get to work from home and since we have jobs, we feel it’s important to help those who don’t. There are many ways to help. Look around you. Your heart knows someone.”
So what did he do during a time when many of us are forced to stay at home and reduce our personal engagements? He and his wife began helping people fill out forms for unemployment and assisting with errands for neighbors who couldn’t get out. Then, as they helped with these tasks, they offered people snacks and pizzas for dinner.
Sometimes helping people is not simple. Sometimes it doesn’t stop with one small gesture. Sometimes it takes us out of our comfort zone and puts us where we need to be.
I am reminded of the passage in Matthew 25 that talks about the work that we do here on earth – “Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”
I want to be more like my friends – to remember that helping can be time consuming, messy, and even uncomfortable. But to take the time and “look around you, your heart knows someone”, I know it will be worth it to help someone else.
Lori Hall, Executive Director of Missions
