A Helping Hand

On the better side of humanity, we have always been taught to lend a helping hand to someone in need.  It is a part of our Christian walk.  Another adage is; "When you are done leave the place better than you found it", I do my best trying to live my life that way.  Even before I understood these concepts as a teenager, I would try and help others who needed help.  In doing so I was almost drowned.

Growing up in Florida my best friend and I would often go to the beach to hang out with our girlfriends.  A great way to spend the day in the hot Florida sun.  On this one visit to the beach, I had decided to wade along the shore just because.  I came upon a man who was out a ways from shore, struggling to keep his head above water.  Without thinking I decided to swim out to help him.  Helping turned out to be a struggle for me also.  The man reached out and grabbed me pulling himself up.  In the process he pulled me under as he used me to keep himself afloat. I managed to pull free as I barely kept my head above water.  I managed to get him toward shore where he could touch bottom.  I realized he would have drowned me to save himself.  I have since learned that helping others can be very costly.  

Jesus spent His life helping others, serving others, comforting others and finally giving up his life so that others might live.  We are the others.  God sent His son to rescue us from our mismanaged lives.  He pulls us in from shore as we struggle.  In the end it was His sacrifice that allowed us to live.  No one is asking me to die to save them but helping others can be costly.  The man that survived that afternoon had no intention of drowning me.

There are times friends can do that to us, not on purpose.  We can still reach out knowing that helping others will make a difference between life and death.  If you let God guide, you will be a light in the world for others.

God Loves You!