Lend A Helping Hand

Someone has described the human family by saying, “They are all kinfolks.” How true this is in so many ways! It is so true that it should cause each of us to have some feeling for the other. There is the story told of an accident that happened in Stockholm, Sweden many years ago. A woman, hurrying to work; rushed to the place where the tram-car stopped, stumbled in front of the moving car and was caught beneath it. Immediately someone sent for a crane in order to lift it and thus release her. In the meantime a crowd of people gathered. A man pushing his way through the crowd, crawled underneath the car, and said to the woman, “Here, take my hand!” She took his hand and felt the nearness and warmth of this stranger. This was sufficient to calm her and prevent her from going into shock. When the crane arrived and the woman was released, she exclaimed: “I never thought an outstretched hand could mean so much!” God has stretched out His hand to us. Being helped by Him, we should be able to help others take hold of His outstretched hands. All we need to be able to is a hand--- and a willingness to stretch it out to others. Have you done so? In speaking of helping, Paul said, “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we might be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” II Corinthians 1:4