Gathering and Serving all weekend long
Saturday morning, some of my friends planned a work day to help a family with their house. The husband has been trying to put new siding on his house, but he has had to travel for work alot during the last year. Plus, this family is always serving others. Even when the husband is in town, he’s usually working on someone’s car or helping people in others ways.
So, while he was out of town, several people got together and put siding on part of his house for him (his wife knew about it, but he didn’t). They worked for 13 hours. Margaret, my wife, and our children helped out as well. Because I had some other work that I needed to do, I was not able to help. But, it was so encouraging to see these friends come together to give of themselves, their time, and their energy to serve others.
I did take a break to go to the government-assisted housing project that our family has been visiting on Saturday mornings. Since my family was helping out our friends, they did not go with me. I know several of the neighbors were disappointed that I was the only one who came by that morning. But, I was still able to give out some fresh produce and talk to many of the people in the neighborhood. (Please pray for two of the neighbors who are having difficulties in their relationship. They are both believers, and we’re helping them to reconcile their relationship.)
One of the neighbors is a single mother with four children. She works and attends school. She’s very close to finishing her course of study, but she’s saved Physics for her last semester of classes. I’ve helped her study for Physics before, and she said that she needed more help. Unfortunately, I’m behind in my own studies because of my recent eye problems. I asked her if she could meet with us Sunday morning, and then I could help her with Physics after lunch. She said that she was working Sunday morning, but she might come by after lunch.
Sunday morning we had a good church meeting. Just as we were getting ready to eat lunch, this single mother walked in. I was very surprised! I was even more surprised to see how my brothers and sisters welcomed her and talked to her. We invited her to eat with us, and she accepted our invitation. (But, then, the chili smelled so good, who could have refused?)
After we ate and talked for a while, she took out her Physics books. As we were getting ready to study, a good friend of mine sat across from her and started talking to her about Physics. He’s a professor also, teaching Science and Engineering at a college in Raleigh. Before I knew it, he was tutoring her in Physics! I didn’t teach her anything. What a blessing!
After they finished reviewing two chapters of Physics, she thanked my friend, and my wife walked her back to her car. I thanked my friend for serving her in that way.
What a blessing to know that God has surrounded us with people who are willing to give of themselves to others, both towards friends who are also servants and towards those who can never give back!
Good post on Sunday. I think we would all be a lot better off if we preferred one another a little more. The Amish do a good job with this. We had a Amish community near us raise a million dollars to help one in their community that had gotten cancer.
I saw a spot on public TV about an Amish man who started a business and was giving people in his community jobs. Although they tend not to go outside their community much.
Al,
I agree that the Amish seem to do a good job taking care of one another, and they have trouble reaching outside their own community. I think we need both – a church gathered and a church sent.
-Alan