Debris and destruction surrounded on every side. I was about to attempt to console a gentleman whose lifetime of earthly belongings were scattered near and far when he said, “It’s incredible.” Assuming he was talking about the devastation I began to respond when he spoke again in a slow reflective voice, “Look at all the helpers…it’s just incredible.”
I was completely taken off guard by his response…his perspective. Standing amidst the rubble of his possessions his attention was not what he had lost but rather on the generosity of friends and strangers who had shown up to help.
“I have always believed that service to others is the best work of life.”
“I see the world as a place where good can come from human efforts to make it better, but also a place where so much more can be done to make the world more just, more compassionate, and more peaceful.”
President Jimmy Carter not only spoke these words, he embodied them. Informed by his deep faith, to “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2) Carter always felt compelled to help others. Next door neighbors to world leaders, folks experiencing homelessness to nations trying to bring forth a brighter future, Carter was always willing to roll up his sleeves. He was the epitome of poet Marge Piercy’s words, “I want to be with people who submerge in the task, who go into the fields to harvest and work in a row and pass the bags along.”
Every time I have found myself in the midst of difficult situations I am always amazed at the number of helpers that show up. Sometimes they are dedicated first responders and medical professionals, but there are also countless neighbors and complete strangers who come with their sleeves rolled up.
What I know to be true is that there are always more helpers in the world than those who want to do harm. And the combined energy of those who come to repair and rebuild is far greater than whatever brought forth the destruction. The helpers in our midst not only help us with the need in the moment, they are also a beacon of hope.
“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” John Wesley
BP