Look for a Need

Isn't it interesting that Jesus Christ made it a point to visit the pool of Bethesda during Passover? At a time when He could have focused solely on the rituals and activities of the Jewish holy days, He looked to help those who were in need.

As a first responder for the American Red Cross, I worked with victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. A week after the hurricane hit, a man walked into my office. His legs were grotesquely swollen, and I asked him what had happened. He told me that after the floods destroyed his neighborhood, he found himself alone in chest-deep water. Many of his neighbors were stranded in their attics or on rooftops. He immediately looked for a skiff or small dinghy to bring his friends to higher ground. For hours he sloshed through filthy, polluted water that was full of debris to obtain that boat. (During that time, he sustained numerous cuts that caused his legs to become infected, endangering his life.) Finally, after almost a full day, he located a dinghy. For the next 24 hours straight he rescued dozens of people from their flooded homes. Here was a man who had looked for a need and used his courage and skills to fill it.

Not all needs are so obvious. When a relative of mine was swept from a jetty in Northern California and lost her husband in the same accident, many family members rushed to her side. My brother-in-law very quietly and without fanfare used his skills as an attorney to gather the evidence and legal documents necessary to help this relative obtain a death certificate for her husband, whose body was not recovered. Having the death certificate allowed my relative to access finances for her medical care and daily living. We can all use our specific talents and skills to fill a need.