Ask for Help
I hear the front door buzzer ring all day; with it voices saying “I need help, I’m homeless”.
Can you imagine how difficult that must be?
I’m a doer. I get stuff done. My default is not “ask for help”. I’m sure there’s an unhealthy dose of pride in there, but more than anything I hate being a burden. I know other people have their stuff and I don’t want to pile on my stuff too. But the reality is we all need a little help sometimes.
We meet people in some of the most vulnerable situations. Sometimes people have recently been evicted, others are “couch hopping” in order to have a place to sleep, others have been sober for days maybe weeks, and others are fleeing abusive situations. Almost all never imagined they would be here. In this desperate place of need.
I’m humbled today as I think about the fact that people walk through these doors and trust that we are people who want to enter into that place of need. I hope we do it with respect, dignity and grace.
It’s hard to ask for help, but may we be people that intentionally create time and space for that very thing to happen.
Father, you know our needs even before we speak them into existence. They aren’t a burden to you. Your shoulders are strong enough to carry them. You also provide people in our lives to help meet those needs. Would we be humble enough to accept the help, and in turn compassionate towards those who may need us. Lord, as we meet people in their place of need may we do so with grace, compassion and the appropriate amount of truth. Thanks for trusting us to be a small part of meeting a need in our great city.
Amen, ash
