B-A-C
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- Joined
- Dec 18, 2008
- Messages
- 11,995
There's an old joke that preachers tell sometimes. I've heard it 3 or 4 times from different preachers over the years. It's about a man who is in a flood, and he is sitting on the roof of his house. The water is rising and he is praying for God to send him help. A small boat comes by and offers to let him get in the boat. The man replies, no it's OK, God is going to send me some help. A few minutes later a larger boat comes by, and again they ask him to get in their boat. Again the man replies, no it's OK, God is going to send me some help.
By now, there is only about a foot or two of the roof sticking out of the water. A seaplane lands near by on the water and throws a life-saver over to him, and he replies... no it's OK, God is going to send some help. Finally the water is so high, that the man can not stand on his roof anymore. He is treading water, the water is very cold, and he is getting tired. By chance a fisherman comes by and pulls him into his boat. After a few minutes the man starts praying to God, and he tells God.. "I don't understand. Why didn't you send help?" and God replies, "I sent two boats and a plane, why didn't you use them?"
The moral of the story is... sometimes the help God sends, doesn't look like we thought it would in our mind. God doesn't always do things the way we expect. Now usually when we hear this story, we think about it from the victims point of view. The think about the man on the roof. But do we ever think about the boats and planes that came by? It seems some Christians are good at praying for other people, and of course we should do that. But are you helping them in a more practical way? It's all fine and good to tell someone who is going through a bad situation that you're praying for them to be rescued. ... but sometimes.... you're the rescue boat.
Now obviously I'm not talking about a literal boat, or even necessarily a literal flood here. But we all know people who need to be rescued sometimes. Someone you know is going through a difficult situation. Someone you know needs help. Not just your prayers, but actual practical (in some cases, life-saving) help. I can't help but think of the story of the good Samaritan here. ( Luke 10 ) We all know the story, the Priest and the Levite passed by the man who had been assaulted and robbed. It was the Samaritan that finally helped him. How many of us are like the Priest and the Levite? We see people who need help, and we have the means to help them... but we just pass by on the other side, pretending we didn't see them. Maybe we even say a quick prayer that God will send someone to help them. But sometimes... you're the one God sent to help them. Sometimes, you're the boat.
Sometimes loving our neighbor costs us. Maybe not just money, but time and effort. Sometimes stopping to help someone messes up our "busy schedule" and our plans. But maybe God has a different plan for you today.
May God help us to recognize opportunities to help people. Sometimes... we need to be the boat.
By now, there is only about a foot or two of the roof sticking out of the water. A seaplane lands near by on the water and throws a life-saver over to him, and he replies... no it's OK, God is going to send some help. Finally the water is so high, that the man can not stand on his roof anymore. He is treading water, the water is very cold, and he is getting tired. By chance a fisherman comes by and pulls him into his boat. After a few minutes the man starts praying to God, and he tells God.. "I don't understand. Why didn't you send help?" and God replies, "I sent two boats and a plane, why didn't you use them?"
The moral of the story is... sometimes the help God sends, doesn't look like we thought it would in our mind. God doesn't always do things the way we expect. Now usually when we hear this story, we think about it from the victims point of view. The think about the man on the roof. But do we ever think about the boats and planes that came by? It seems some Christians are good at praying for other people, and of course we should do that. But are you helping them in a more practical way? It's all fine and good to tell someone who is going through a bad situation that you're praying for them to be rescued. ... but sometimes.... you're the rescue boat.
Now obviously I'm not talking about a literal boat, or even necessarily a literal flood here. But we all know people who need to be rescued sometimes. Someone you know is going through a difficult situation. Someone you know needs help. Not just your prayers, but actual practical (in some cases, life-saving) help. I can't help but think of the story of the good Samaritan here. ( Luke 10 ) We all know the story, the Priest and the Levite passed by the man who had been assaulted and robbed. It was the Samaritan that finally helped him. How many of us are like the Priest and the Levite? We see people who need help, and we have the means to help them... but we just pass by on the other side, pretending we didn't see them. Maybe we even say a quick prayer that God will send someone to help them. But sometimes... you're the one God sent to help them. Sometimes, you're the boat.
Sometimes loving our neighbor costs us. Maybe not just money, but time and effort. Sometimes stopping to help someone messes up our "busy schedule" and our plans. But maybe God has a different plan for you today.
May God help us to recognize opportunities to help people. Sometimes... we need to be the boat.
