TEXT:

‘So the king asked me, “Why are you looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You must be deeply troubled.”’ – Nehemiah 2:2 NLT

THOUGHT:

Moving from Wadebridge to Exeter, I went from living in a small town of 5,000 to a city of over 100,000 people. I remember walking the High Street, seeing hundreds of people rushing to and fro, and thinking, “I don’t know anyone!” Previously in Wadebridge it sometimes took me an hour just to buy a newspaper, because I would stop and chat with people I knew.

Another time walking along the High Street, I noticed how sad and worried the faces were of those around me. Looking at the ground as they walked, they seemed to be carrying all the cares of the world. The first time I was just thinking about me. The second occasion I started thinking about others because I noticed them.

Jenny & I have just returned from a lovely holiday in Mexico. Despite forecasts of rain and stormy weather, we enjoyed brilliant sunshine and never saw a drop of rain to spoil our sunbathing or sightseeing!

At breakfast on the first day I noticed a lady sat alone several tables away. She was making a phone call and crying a lot. She continued crying after the phone call ended. I remarked to Jenny about it and suggested it would be good for her to go over and ask if everything was alright. When Jenny went over she discovered that the lady’s grandmother had had a stroke, was in hospital and really afraid of the future as she had no one there to comfort her. Jenny was able to pray with her and for her grandmother. The hug she received afterwards conveyed how much that lady thought of Jenny’s care. We never saw her again during our holiday but were so thankful that we acted when we noticed her.

• Don’t stop to count the cost

Otherwise you may never start that conversation. We hesitated at first; after all it was our holiday and we did not want it to turn into a counselling session every day for a fellow guest! In the end all it did cost was a few minutes of our day, but it meant so much to that lady carrying a great burden alone. Very often what has cost us next to nothing is worth its weight in gold to the one we have helped.

• When you notice people be ready to respond immediately

The King, noticing Nehemiah’s sad face said, “What do you want me to do?” “Ah” you say, “He was a king and able to do anything.” That may be so, but he immediately responded to that sad face. In the parable of The Good Samaritan – Luke 10:30-37, both Priest and Levite saw the injured man but refused to get involved, walking on by instead. It was left to the Samaritan to do something and help someone from another country. He noticed, he helped, he gave and he said he would check up on him at a later date. Jesus said that’s what being a neighbour really means.

So today and every day, walk around with your eyes open. You will appreciate life a lot more and will see those you can show God’s love and care to.