The Gift Of Help - The One Year Daily Acts of Gratitude Devotional

God . . . will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers.

Entering the small anteroom, I began the in-depth process of washing my hands. As I finished the familiar procedure, I exited into a larger room that was humming with activity. Long curtains separated infants in Isolettes from one another, and beeping medical machines were accompanied by the soft murmurs of families mere feet apart.

Smiling at the nurses I passed, I headed directly to the area where my newborn slept.

Our daughter had arrived six weeks early. At just over five pounds, she was enormous compared to many of the other premature babies in the NICU, but she still had challenges that would result in a twenty-day stay.

Even as I yearned for the day we could take her home with us and struggled to leave her there each night, I was profoundly grateful for the care she experienced. One nurse, in particular, was my favorite. Roland was a tall man with graying hair, and though his hands seemed too big to hold such tiny infants, he cared for them with ease. His calm, kind nature was reassuring.

As a new parent, I felt myself floundering, wondering how to care for such a tiny person. But with patience, nurses like Roland assisted us in bathing our child for the first time and gave us tips on how best to attend to her needs. A class offered by the March of Dimes taught us how to do infant CPR and help a choking child. Recognizing their expertise, I soaked up the knowledge. By the time we were able to leave the NICU and bring our daughter home, I felt equipped and encouraged.

We all benefit when people use their skills and knowledge to help others—whether it’s a customer service representative fixing a computer, a baker providing bread, a math teacher explaining a difficult concept, or an accountant navigating the tax code. Another person’s expertise is valuable and worthy of praise, and you and I can participate by thanking others who provide it.

Kristin

Today’s Act of Gratitude

Whose expertise have you benefited from lately? Take time to thank them.