Opportunities to Serve Are Everywhere

Opportunities to serve are everywhere. There are people in need all around us. Our neighbors need help with household chores. Members of our church need assistance with packing and moving. A co-worker needs someone who can lend an ear. Our children need help with their homework. The family around the corner needs a little food assistance to assure their family eats a healthy meal. Need is everywhere. Opportunities to help others are countless.

Unfortunately, we miss many of these opportunities because we are too busy. We fail to pause long enough to see it. The blinders, or our tunnel vision, keep us from seeing outside of our normal vision. On other occasions we see it, but we fail to take action. We know something should be done, but we do nothing.

Let me give you an example.

A family friend, Melissa, was on her way to our home when she noticed an elderly woman struggle to get her garbage can to the curb. She told herself that she would stop to help if the woman was still outside when she returned. On the way home Melissa saw the same sight. The old woman was still outside working. She was still struggling to get things done. Melissa stopped to assist. While spending time with the woman she learned that the woman had been out in her yard for hours trying to pick up walnuts with her long tongs in one hand and her cane in the other. The trashcan she struggled to get to the curb was full of walnuts. And there were hundreds more on the ground.

Melissa wanted to do more to help.

She contacted us and a time was set up to meet her at the home. In about 30 minutes, we had the walnuts removed from the yard. Our new friend, the elderly 85 year-old woman, was very grateful for the assistance. We invested just a few minutes in the task, but those minutes meant the world to her.

How many times do you think we have driven by that house on our way home without seeing that need? I am sure the answer is much larger than we can imagine and/or willing to admit. We have been too engrossed in our own worlds as we pass by to see that woman struggle on her own. Thanks to Melissa, our eyes were opened. She could have driven by, seen the need, and done nothing. But she didn’t. She decided to take action.

The message is simple. Don’t live life in a tunnel my friends. Take the blinders off and see the world around you. Do not look away when you know a need exists. See it. Then choose to take action. Our world, our community, and our neighbors need us. Lets all commit to opening our eyes. If we do, we will see that opportunities to serve are everywhere!