Did you want to keep walking, but begrudgingly stop anyways?
Because that’s what I did.
Did you stop because you genuinely wanted to help someone through a problem and for them to come out stronger, or because you knew you would feel guilty if you didn’t?
Because I stopped out of guilt.
Did some situation just play through your mind of a time this occurred?
Let me tell you about mine.
This is not easy for me to write because I’m ashamed I let it happen, but I feel that this is something that needs shared. I was driving to work and ended up leaving my house a few minutes earlier than normal. Normally I just hang out in my car for a few minutes before I go inside so I can have a few minutes to myself because I come straight from a full morning of class almost everyday. It’s what I’ve done everyday since I started working there. But today, as I was pulling in to park there was a girl in the lying in the parking lot with all of her stuff around her and a car pulling off. Um, what? That’s what I was thinking, too.
And instead of stopping immediately to see what was wrong and if there was anything I could do help, I get going and parked. I. Kept. Going. And as if that isn’t enough, I actually had an internal debate of whether or not to go over and see if she was okay because I wanted my alone time before work. I am absolutely ashamed of this. I actually debated whether my personal time was worth more than someone’s well-being.
I ended up going over to her where another car had already stopped. She was crying so hard, and come find out she had been punched in the face by her boyfriend who had just shoved her out of his car while taking her to work. And I almost didn’t believe what I was seeing. We offered to help her and have her wait inside my work while she waited for someone to come get her, but she declined. Sadly, I don’t know what became of this situation other than she did have a friend come and pick her up from our parking lot.
But you know, the only reason I initially went over was because I knew I would feel guilty later if I didn’t at least try to help. Not because I actually wanted to help.
Guys, people are hurting so much. Not just this women, but the person who did this to her, too. How many times do we see someone visibly hurting and do nothing because it would be too “messy” for us to get involved? How am I supposed to go help people across the globe and share the Gospel with them when I didn’t even feel compelled to go to this woman?
This was my wake-up call. I don’t want to be so consumed with myself that I can’t even stop to help someone in need. But I can’t do this; I need God to break me over every person that is hurting and in need and, most importantly, those who need Him.
