She sent me a message one day. 

“A random thought that came to me in the night. ‘You maybe need to write something about how we as Christian gals need to help each other fight each other’s battles instead of making battles for each other’.”

I laughed a little at the thought and said, “Well maybe that thought came to you because YOU’RE supposed to write on it. Is that what you’re saying?” She thought that idea as preposterous as the idea was to me to actually write on a certain subject.

But a mere few days later I read something that made an impact on me and I thought back to her message. The inspiration wasn’t exactly what she had in mind yet it seemed to fit. It spoke of how instead of telling people to not worry, how we would instead be the hands and feet of Jesus. And I wondered what life would look like if we would do this. 

There are days we know someone is hurting and in that moment we have a choice. We can simply pray for them or we can be the hands and feet that they so badly need. Maybe we want our life to look a certain way and to invite them into that inner circle would be a little too much. Maybe we know the reason they are hurting is us, but to back up and say we’re sorry and make a difference in their lives is just too hard. Maybe we just don’t really understand them, but to care enough to do something about it is out of our comfort zone so we leave it.

There are times we know someone is going through a hard time and there are times when merely telling someone we’ll pray for them can be a slap in the face. Not that prayers shouldn’t be enough, but sometimes they just need a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear, or a hug that won’t let go. Maybe all they want or need is us. Just us the way we are.

Sometimes the request for prayer, the hurried stride out of church, and the sadness in their eyes, is a silent cry for help. A cry that is too hard to say out loud. Will we be willing to be the hands and feet for them? Can we set aside our work or plans for a moment and offer coffee? Invite them for a walk? Buy them lunch?

When God says to do good to all men, “especially to them who are of the household of faith”, do we take this seriously? I think of those around me who need this and I wonder where I’ve been. Have I been stepping into their lives and doing more of this? Or has my week been so crazy I’ve only had time to pray for them and sometimes not even that?

Oh that I could truly make life better for those around me. To be the hands and feet of Jesus. Smoothing the rocky road, throwing life boats from my vessel, and letting them feel the steady beat of my heart. For as I have done to the least of these, I will have done unto Him.