Things Could Get Messy
At
church on Sunday our pastor was talking about caring for others. There was a video of Darnell Barton, a bus
driver in Buffalo New York. He was
driving over a bridge when he looked over and there was a young woman standing
on the outside railing of the overpass.
The video showed a bike rider go by and another person walk by but they
didn’t stop. Darnell stopped the bus and
got out. He asked the woman if she was
ok and then asked her if she wanted to come over the railing to the other
side. She said she did and he helped her
back over the railing and sat down on the sidewalk to talk to her. This was all videoed from the camera on the
bus. He was later asked why he
stopped. The following is from the
interview:
'It was meant to be,' Barton said. 'I was supposed to be there for her at that moment and I was. I wanted to convey that whatever it was, I'm going to help you through and it's not as serious as jumping onto the 198.'
'I feel like I did what I was supposed to do at the
time,' Barton said. 'I'm a football guy so when you sit the bench and the coach
calls your number, you gotta go in there make a play, do what the play calls
for, and I think that's what I did.'
How
many of us see someone in need and walk by?
Why is it that we do that? I
think it is partly due to the fact that we are so caught up in what’s going on
in our life that we miss the opportunities God places in our paths to help
others. The other thing is we realize
when someone is in need “things could get messy”. We might have to deal with the messiness of
someone else’s life and ours is messed up enough without adding someone else’s
burden to it.
God
knows our lives are messy. In Matthew
11:28-30 Jesus makes a profound statement.
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I
am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My
yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
We are to go to Him when we are laden
down with our messy lives and God will give us rest. When we give Him our burdens, He lightens our
load so we can then handle someone else’s.
Have you ever noticed that when you give all your worries and burdens to
God and you help someone else; their burden doesn’t seem as bad as what you are
dealing with in your life?
The thing is God doesn’t leave you
hanging out there on your own. He is
there and will provide whatever is necessary to enable you to help
another. Give your burden to Him and He
will help you carry someone else’s.
Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I often
find it difficult to let go of the burdens in my life because I think I am in
control. Help me to understand that You
want me to lay it all at your feet so that I can take up the cross and help
someone else. Help me to see clearly
others who are in need of a Savior and show them what an amazing Father You
are. Don’t let me deny You because
things could get messy.
Scripture: Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any
comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill
my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one
mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness
of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out
not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Philippians 2:1-4
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