What's a Christian to Do?
Mother had been on a shopping excursion to Chico’s. It’s on
her regular route of places to shop so she knows all of the women who work
there. One of the ladies approached Mother, but not to ask if she needed
assistance, but to request help for herself. Apparently her daughter had called
with some sort of emergency and needed her right away, so she frantically asked
Mother what she should do. The store manager had been called to relieve her,
but there was no response. None of her coworkers seemed to know what to do
either, so the panic continued.
There was no way that my 88 year old mother could cover for
her, so she was not sure how she could have helped. She picked up the phone and
asked me the question, “As a Christian how should I have responded?” It sounded
like a difficult situation, but my response was simple, “You could have asked
her if you could pray for her.”
You might say, but what if she was not a Christian? She
could refuse your offer.
What if there were others present? Either they could be
included or you could move to a private place.
What if you are not sure what to pray? Practice, so you are
always ready, but always remember that if we don’t know what to say, it’s all
right because the Holy Spirit can take our feeble words and transform them at
the throne.
I feel certain that there is one more “but” going through
your mind. But what if I don’t feel comfortable asking and praying with someone
who is hurting? Well perhaps I will have to give you a hall pass, because there
have been many times in my life that I wouldn’t have been able to do it either,
however there is nothing to stop you from praying for them when you are alone.
You may be the only person who is praying for them and that is huge.
Our “what ifs” are not important when there is someone in
need. If we can physically or financially help them, we should do that, but if
there seems to be no way of helping, prayer is always appropriate. Taking them
to the throne of God and putting them into the arms of a loving Father can
change and transform a person’s life.
So now there is one last question…what will you do the next
time you are faced with someone who is hurting?
1 Timothy 2:1 I urge, then, first of all,
that petitions, prayers intercession and thanksgiving be made for
all people
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