I generally go for a walk during my lunch break. The walk takes me past one of Portland’s high schools, an exclusive private athletic club, and our professional soccer team’s stadium.
A few weeks ago, I was finishing my walk around the soccer stadium. Across the street, I saw a wheelchair overturned and a man lying in the entrance to the mini-mall parking lot. Trucks and cars were whizzing by, or going into the parking lot avoid this man and his wheelchair. The man and his wheelchair were something to be ignored or avoided.
A minute or two passed. A woman on foot stopped and was struggling to help this man. How could I just stand across the street? I ran across the street to offer help.
Together, the woman and I offered to help him up. We went to put our hands underneath his arms.
“No, thank you”, he replied, I can do it”.
Awkwardly, he struggled to pull himself up while straining to keep his thread bare garment covering his body on. He tried and slipped again. Others stopped offering assistance and then moved on. If we could not help him up, what could we do?
“Steady my wheel chair”, he said calmly.
Steadying his wheel chair is what we could do! This man who struggling to regain his mobility and maintain his dignity was soon back in his wheelchair and moving down the street.
This man did not ask for handout, or even a hand up. He simply needed the steady hands, open eyes, listening ears and caring hearts.
Is not that what are we are called to do? We called to listen, offer that steady hand, and not demonize or condemn.
‘You have been told, O mortal, what is good, and what the LORD requires of you: only to do justice and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.’ Micah 6:8
In Christ and Peace,
John