Helping Others

  

“A person’s most useful asset

is not a head full of knowledge,

but a heart full of love,

an ear ready to listen and

a hand willing to help others.”

~ Alex Hales

 

Maurine Richter noticed her mail carrier walking down the sidewalk with her mailbag and three packages.  By 11:00 a.m., it was already 102 degrees in Houston, Texas.  Seeing the sweat dripping down the carrier’s face, Maurine asked if she could get her some water.  Upon returning, she also brought some snacks and a cool cloth to give her.  Maurine commented, “It’s what I would have wanted.  I don’t post this so you think how good I am.  I want you to see her.  A US postal worker in the heat of the day.  And I want to encourage you to have water ready when you see her or others like her.  It’s something so simple to do.”

 

Officer Holt, of the Independence Police Department in Missouri, shared a recent encounter he witnessed in the parking lot at a store.  “A young man got out of the backseat of a van in the pouring rain, removed his coat, and shielded an elderly woman from the elements as he escorted her to her car.  He then returned to his car.”  Officer Holt pulled up to the van, approached the driver, and told 14-year-old Tyrea’s mother and aunt what he had seen.  “I told his mother that she has done an incredible job with him and that I hope and pray he achieves great things.”

 

Last week, Mackenzie Murphy was preparing to fly home.  She shared an event that “restored my faith in humanity.”  The plane was packed so people were asked to check their carry-ons.  The woman in front of her had twin babies, under six months of age, and had to check the carrying seat.  The flight attendant explained to the mom that she would not be allowed to hold both babies during the flight and would need to leave the plane.  Realizing the dilemma, the lady sitting in front of the mother volunteered to hold one of the babies.  The short 45-minute flight had a 2 ½ hour delay.  Without any complaining, the woman fed and burped the other lady’s baby, held him, and sang to him.  The baby slept for the rest of the flight.  When her own daughter became fretful, she explained, “Our job is to help other people.  This mom is all by herself with no help, and really needs another mom to help.”  Mackenzie noted: “My heart still feels fuzzy.  The moral of the story is when you see people needing help, do the right thing and help them.”

 

May we, too, have eyes to see, ears to listen, hands that help, and hearts full of love that quickly respond to the needs of those around us.  And may we encourage and teach others to do the same.

 

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew 7:12

 

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

1 John 3:18