Saturday Confessional

So, let me ask you, if someone asks you for help and even though it might cause you some slight inconvenience, do you help them? Say the person needing help is a felon, do you still help? What if that person is trying, regardless of past mistakes, to stay on the straight and narrow?

Does it make a difference if the person is a relative?

Yeah, that’s what I thought. You would help. The person asked for your help, not your neighbors, not your brothers, but your help. It’s not going to cost you much, well gas being what it is, but in truth, it won’t cost you more than a little time and a drive. You’d do it.

Why? Why do we help those in need? Is it because they are family? Is it because we feel a sense of duty? Is it because even though they’ve made some pretty poor choices, you love them anyway? Is it because God would really want you to?

It’s the Golden Rule, do unto others…

And we do. All of us, or at least most of us, will help someone out who is in need. I read a blog recently that was posted over at Rocks in My Dryer about how a stranger stepped in and offered water and any other assistance to this blogger when her purse was stolen. It was a great story about people helping people.

I think it’s important to reach out, to help, to encourage, but as you all know, ahem, I can be slightly judgmental and just a wee bit mean sometimes. I come across a little too pushy, too knowing, too mom like. It’s a curse and a blessing and apparently my cross to bear. Growl. Yet, I’m learning!

She can be taught!
I spent the morning driving a younger relative to a job interview. He’s having a really hard time finding a job. He’s a felon. You try putting that on your application and see how far you get! Now, I am not dismissing what he’s done, nor do I condone it (trust me, he knows how I feel). But you know what? The kid is trying! He’s trying!

For perhaps the first time in my life, I kept my opinions to myself. I didn’t offer advice. Shocking, I know. (shut up Amber) I told him I was proud of the effort he is making and encouraged him to keep climbing this very difficult hill. He’s going to have to make more sacrifices to get things straightened and his record will haunt him for years, I don’t think he really needed an of my “stern wisdom”. He’s getting enough judgment from every other side.

And don’t get me wrong. I am hardly the hero here. I’ve been hard on this young man. I’ve rolled my eyes and snickered, honest and ugly, isn’t it? So, why the change of heart? All it took was another family member to act judgmental for me to get a real good picture of what I look and sound like sometimes.

Not a good look for a Christian girl, if you know what I mean.

There you go, confessional Saturday is done.