A simple but true story

Last night our 7:14 group met and we started our DO book.  Carole was sitting next to me and she wanted to tell us about a happening in her life.  She told it as if it were a small thing but I saw it as a great thing.  I will share it here and you can make up your own mind if you want to.

She told us that she was sitting on the airplane while coming back from a vacation trip.  There was an older lady sitting next to her who obviously was having trouble getting set in her seat.  And she dropped something on the floor in front of her.  If you have traveled by air lately you are aware that there is not much space between your knees and the seat in front of you. This of course rendered the older lady a problem.  How does one get down on the floor in such a small space especially when it is a time in life when it is hard to get around in any case?  And so as the lady twisted and turned without much success, Carole offered to pick up whatever she had dropped.  And she did.   As you can imagine the lady was very thankful and told Carole so. 

That is the whole story.  What do you think?  I think I know what I think.  As I listened to that short story I began to wonder.  How many people would have simply sat there and watched the older lady struggle and never offer a helping hand?  Or worse yet how many people would have become irritated by the struggle.  "Why doesn't that old woman sit still?  Can't she see I am trying to read?"  I sincerely hope not many.  But anyway my friend stepped up to the plate.  She helped the lady. 

I couldn't help wondering what I would have done in that case.  Would I have been too busy looking out of the window to even notice that she needed help.  Or maybe I would have bowed my head and prayed for God to help her.  I have never been in the running for the helper of the year award so I really don't know.  But this I do know.  Carole showed honest caring and love to a perfect stranger.  And I will always have a soft spot in my heart for that kind of thing.  It was a real random act of kindness. 

I pray each day for an opportunity to do something like that.  It may seem small but I think not.  It is what I see as real Christianity.  Love in action.  I want to be a part.  And I'll bet that you do, too.