The couple in front of us (who we know, and were just talking with last night as a matter of fact) accidentally kicked over a coffee mug full of water. No biggie. The water spilled near them, and under the pew towards the couple in front of them.
Not a huge crisis. Both men went and got some paper towels, mopped it up, and it was done. The singing never stopped, no one else probably noticed.
Not a big deal, right? What's the point of the story? Surely there is no great lesson here.
But, oh, there is. And this lesson starts with me, because this simple exchange planted a small seed of conviction in my heart, which has since blossomed.
The water spilled, the couples who were directly involved in 'the crisis', whose feet were getting wet, first tried to assess the damage, then sprung into action to fix it, to 'save' their feet.
And I stood still. I watched it all go down. And I thought to myself, I should help, but I didn't. Because it would have been some trouble to get out of the pew, since I was neatly in the middle, enclosed on both sides by other bodies. Because they had already seemed to sort the problem out amongst themselves, and the actions to rectify it had already begun. Because I didn't want to seem unneeded or just in the way. Because it wasn't my water. Because it wasn't my feet.
And in this instance, it wasn't an issue. Truly, by the time I got out of the pew and figured out WHERE the paper towel was in the first place, the mess would have been gone. But how often do we stay back, watching a crisis, no matter how small or large, unfold, and because it isn't our feet getting wet, we do nothing? Because we aren't sure of the exact right thing needed at that time, we do nothing? Because we know there is someone IN THE WORLD who is more qualified to deal with this particular problem, we do nothing? Because we aren't sure of how the people who NEED help would react, we do nothing? Because it wasn't our water that spilled in the first place, we do nothing?
How many videos are there on the internet of some kind of injustice happening? We watch them and think of how AWFUL it was that it happened, and how if WE were there, we would have stepped in. But that's not true for most of us. There are some, yes, that despite the awkwardness or the inconvenience, will step in no matter what if they see a need. But that's not most of us. Most of us give in to that initial hesitation that whispers in our ear that that person doesn't actually need the help, or that other people aren't helping, so why should you, or that other people may think less of you if they see you reach a hand into the muck and try to help. It whispers that it's not your problem. It whispers that there are already people there, so why should you step in too? It tells you to take your phone out and record a fight instead of break it up. It tells you to avoid eye contact so you aren't drawn in. It tells you to give a homeless man a wide berth so you can pretend that his problems are not your problems.
And you know what? The biggest problem in the Watery Pew Of 2016 drama was not me standing still. That is a huge problem, yes. But my two oldest kids were standing next to me in the pew, and regardless if they processed it fully or gave it much thought, they watched mom and dad sit still while there was an opportunity to help. They watched us decide that it was not our problem, and did not even deserve an acknowledgement. They watched me stand and sing about Jesus' love, instead of living it right there.
And that is inexcusable.
There are problems in the world that we cannot help. There are issues that DO need a legitimate professional. But there are SO MANY that do NOT. There are so many that we see each and every day that DESERVE our acknowledgement, that DESERVE at least a question, regardless of how awkward it may make you feel... How can I help?
So when you see another human struggle, regardless of the scope of the dilemma, ask that question. I guarantee it will always be inconvenient for you. I guarantee it will almost always feel awkward. I guarantee that it will sometimes end with them saying they have it handled.
But I also guarantee that sometimes that person's sigh of relief at the hand offered will be audible, and the look in their eyes when they see that someone took notice of their struggle and decided to help, regardless of how big or small, will be thanks enough for you. I guarantee that you will have impacted someones life, instead of pretending that it didn't exist. I guarantee that the people around you, whether it is your kids or complete strangers, will see that, and it will plant a small seed that may or may not take root, that maybe they could have helped, and that maybe next time they see someone with a need, they can do their best to fill it.
And maybe you are thinking that the mess you see in front of you is too small. It can be handled efficiently by one person. But it doesn't matter. Start small, so when the big things happen, it's easy to yes. Because it's become your habit. Because you are used to saying Yes, How can I help?
It doesn't matter if it's not your water. It doesn't matter if it's not your feet. Help clean up the mess, because Lord knows we all have our own we could use some help with too.
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