Two weeks ago I started moving. I say started because it is taking me a long time. Why? Because I am doing it almost entirely by myself, even with Ben’s sermon on accepting help popping up in the middle of my move. I haven’t been seeking out help and haven’t fully utilized friends’ offers to help. A few people have helped who were adamant about helping me. Yesterday, when I came out of my house, five boys around ages 6-9 were outside. I carried half a dozen boxes and then some drawers for my desk out to the curb. Seeing how bored they were and the football in one of the boys’ hands, I offered to show them how to play a football game from my childhood: 500. We played for about 20 minutes. It was a lot of fun.
I then pulled my van up to the house. I was planning on loading everything myself. As I got out of the van the boys swarmed around the boxes. They asked if they could help load the van. “Sure,” I said, doubting they would be of much help. I never had a chance to touch a box. By the time I had opened the side door. They were grabbing drawers and boxes, even lifting them into my low-rider of a Vanagon, often two or three boys to a box. I felt like I was in a stampede up to my elbows in boxes, drawers, and little boys. A job that would have taken me 20 minutes was done in less than 4 because of the unexpected help of five boys who weighed less than fifty pounds each. I was amazed and awestruck. I was reminded of Ben’s sermon.
How often do I not allow God’s help in my life? I struggle keeping in balance my confidence in myself and my understanding of God’s value of me. I am often either too confident to receive help or I don’t feel valuable enough or worthy of help. Either way I am left alone struggling, often times going nowhere or at least taking a lot more time then necessarily. My cell members through our conversations and their actions are constantly reminding me that we are a community of God’s help. They remind me, as I remind them, that we are valuable enough for God’s help, and need to be humble enough to receive it. It can be a transformative experience receiving His help in all its various forms, especially when it is from a unexpected source (like the young boys of Reinhard Street).
Thanks for that, Nathan. I think receiving help is something a lot of us have a hard time with. When it comes to help from our friends I think it’s really important to remember that the people who care about you also want to feel needed. When you accept their help you are giving them your trust and a sense of worth in your relationship. It’s not anything to base our lives on but it’s a great feeling.
Awesome story Nathan, thank you!
that was so sweet. I love how God teaches lessons in life that seem so simple are learned in ways that we wouldn’t have imagined.
This is so Nathan; and I so love Nathan.
What a great story, Nathan. Makes me feel good and ready to accept help at any corner, even if it means admitting I can’t do it all. Thanks for showing us how to do that.