Standing Ready

Standing Ready

[Lord,] you go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Psalm 139:5

Those whose childhoods caused them to try to be doers and fixers carry a gotta-fix-this mentality into adulthood. I remember a single-parent friend who was heading toward financial trouble. I was in a position to help, but I didn’t want her to look to me first. In the past I had gotten caught in situations where folks expected me to rescue them from minor frustrations as well as major challenges. Sometimes I wondered if they ever prayed before they picked up the phone, or if their first thought was, Call Sandra. She’ll take care of this.

So I wanted my friend to look to God as her Source, not to me. But I also didn’t want to deny help to someone in legitimate need. As I thought of my friend’s pattern of getting herself into deep financial waters, I prayed for her and read and reread the Scriptures, wondering if I should offer my help. Did my faith mandate rescuing her? I understood the single-parent plight all too well, but I wanted her to learn more about the Lord and more about the strength he had given her. And deep down, I knew she needed financial counseling more than she needed my check.

One Sunday morning, those thoughts were heavy on my mind as I entered my usual row at church. In the quiet moments before the service began, I glanced around, taking mental roll call. The usual folks were in place, including my friends Larry and Mary Ellen. They were sitting behind the dear, elderly gentleman I’ll call Mr. Smith, who was growing more feeble each week. But he had insisted he would continue to be in church as long as the Lord allowed. So each Sunday, we marveled at his determination to be independent and held our collective breath each time he pulled himself to his feet.

On this particular morning, Mr. Smith seemed even more frail as he stood for a hymn. Then he wobbled as he backed toward his chair. Immediately, Larry’s arms were at his shoulders, not touching him, but ready. Mr. Smith made it safely and hadn’t known Larry was ready to catch him if need be.

I let out the breath I was holding and realized I had just witnessed exactly how I needed to respond to my friend. I wasn’t to rush in and carry her, but I was to be ready to help if needed. That settled, I sang the next hymn with even greater enthusiasm. —SANDRA

Lord, what a relief to know I don’t have to solve everyone’s problems. Help me to remember that only you can do that. Help me to do those things I am supposed to do but to leave the major rescues to you.

Charity is helping a man to help himself.

—MOSES MAIMONIDES (1135–1204), JEWISH PHILOSOPHER, JURIST, AND PHYSICIAN