The helping hand

Jesus had just fed the crowd of 5,000, so when evening came he sent his disciples across the lake while he went up the hillside to pray. A fierce storm arose on the lake, but suddenly, there was Jesus! He was walking on top of the waves as he approached his disciples. They were absolutely terrified. But, when Peter recognized that the one they all thought was a “ghost” was actually Jesus, he asked to go to him.  All went well until Peter noticed how high the waves were. Then, as he began to sink, he panicked and cried out for help. I imagine that you or I might have hesitated for just a moment before teaching Peter a lesson in trust, but Jesus “Instantly reached out his hand and took hold of him” (Mark 14:31).
         Jesus is teaching us a very simple lesson: When another person is in trouble, reach out your hand, and do it right away. As we work our way through the gospel account of the earthly life of God’s son, we find that the most distinctive quality of his ministry was helping the other person. It didn’t matter whether that person was blind or lame, was a demented tomb dweller, a mother whose son had just died, or a host who had run out of wine. Jesus was always on duty. He lived for the benefit of others and at the end of it all, he died and rose again for our eternal benefit. Is there any question as to how we are to live? Jesus is our mentor par excellence.
         If that kind of life seems a bit dull to you, may I tell you a secret? Serving the needs of another can be the most joyful and rewarding experience of a person’s life. Do you remember when Paul spoke of a man who was “caught up to the third heaven” and then described his experience? (2 Corin. 12:2).  In the same way, I know a man who for the last several years of his wife’s life had the privilege of taking care of her, as they say, 24/7. He got to sleep on the floor near her bedroom in case she awoke, cooked her favorite meals and then washed the dishes, pushed her around the neighborhood in a wheelchair, and read 28 books aloud to her as she lay in bed taking it all in. Her final words were a whispered, “I love you ______.” To serve her needs at the close of 60 years of wonderful marriage was the greatest privilege and joy of this man’s entire life. Heaven itself!
        Concern that leads to action is what Jesus taught and demonstrated in his life. And we are his followers, that is, we live to the best of our ability in exactly the way that he lived.