It's Time To Do Something !

by Mary Southerland

1 John 4:11 "Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."

I truly believe that every day is filled with divine appointments - opportunities to rescue people who are trapped in some kind of pit. We miss the emptiness reflected in the eyes of the sales clerk or simply choose to ignore the homeless man begging for money so that he can buy food. After all, we are in a hurry and have more important things to do. The sales clerk would probably be embarrassed if I said anything and that homeless man would probably just use the money I give him for drugs or alcohol.

The ringing phone is someone in need but we don't care enough to answer. Our neighbor does not know God but her life is a mess and we really don't want to get involved. Instead of taking action and doing what we know God wants us to do, we decide that it is enough to pray for that neighbor and leave the messy part of God's work to someone else.

I am so guilty of walking away from someone in need instead of running to their rescue. I am in pain, too, and my pain is more important than theirs. I may not actually say those words but I don't have to. My actions are blatant illustrations of my own egotism and self-absorption.

I do not want to be like the priest who nonchalantly strolled by the wounded and bleeding man lying on the road. I want to be like the Good Samaritan who stopped and saved the wounded man's life. I want to be "God with skin on."

One day, just as rescue workers descended into that Chilean mine, Jesus Christ will descend into this broken world and rescue us from the pit of human frailty. Until then, let's be His hands and feet. Let's love Him so much that we just have to do something about it.