Blog Pause Day 1: This was a post that I had forgotten entirely until I discovered it in the archives. It's a good reminder for me -- and perhaps for you, too!
Originally Posted February 17, 2012
He approaches me from the back of the bus and motions to the bag on my shoulder, the tripod in my left hand, and the hefty camera case in my right. "Please, let me carry that for you."
We're headed in the same direction -- the same classroom, to be exact. This particular student of mine extends a polite greeting each morning and offers a thank you, professor at the conclusion of every class -- even the boring ones -- without fail. His college experience will be split in half this summer when he returns to his home country to fulfill a two-year mandatory military service, and then he'll return to complete his credits and graduate.
I'm so accustomed to doing things myself that I almost decline his offer, but I get my wits about me, accept, and gratefully hand over the bulky tripod. As we walk to class together I'm aware of how much lighter my load is when another person carries a portion of it for me.
Too often I shirk opportunities to let people help me, falling into my default responses. No, you don't need to bring anything. It's okay, I'll take care of it. Don't worry, I've got this covered.
It's much more graceful to accept help when help is needed.
"No, you don't need to bring anything. It's okay, I'll take care of it. Don't worry, I've got this covered."
ReplyDeleteI feel this way a lot too, but my new way of trying to weed it out is to think, "I am denying this person an opportunity to do God's work." When we see someone who needs help and we help them, we are really helping Jesus. Sometimes, we have to let ourselves be the "least of these" as it were. <3
What a great way to think about this!
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