Sometimes I am easily moved to tears. Especially when the Holy Spirit is involved. And Slave's testimony touch me.
It might be that I identified with the man in the wheelchair. Could it have been me if I had not been living in a wellfare state? I have my wheelchairs (yes. 4 of them!) given to me, I get assistance. I have to pay for it in part, but anyway. I have a specially adjusted car. I had to pay for that in part too, but not much concidering how much money the special gear costs. I have a service dog. And I can work. And study. Perhaps the man in the testimony was less disabled than me physically. It doesn't really matter. It is Biblical to help people in need.
One of my favorite passages in the Bible is in Acts 3. It tells about Peter healing the paralyzed man in the Temple. I can feel that man's joy! How he is jumping and running and laughing. Praising God. He begged for money but received something greater. Peter didn't have the money to give him. Maybe the beggar was crossed. He didn't want any prayers. He wanted a shekel. How God can act by surprise at times! We ask for something that we think will help, and we receive something greater than we could imagine.
So. I am not the beggar, yet I am. I need help from people. They don't put money in my cup, but when they pay taxes. I can pat myself on the shoulder and say good girl! Atleast I can keep a job and provide for myself. But in the end I am not more than a beggar myself. And what my heart longs for is not the extra hours of help I have applied for to assist me to bed, or the new wheelchair. I need Jesus. I need what Peter gave that humble beggar. And perhaps that is the clue. To humble myself. To admit than I can't do it alone. I need help!
Here we don't have many beggars. The ones we have come from Romania, and often are linked to criminal activity. They come by the bussloads to Norway, beg and then go back to their houses and mansions. So the newspaper says. I am reluctant to give money to them. And I have never been called to do so, either. But I smile and greet them. Maybe next time I will stop to pray for them. For money doesn't solve anything. It only creates dependency. Jesus can solve and restore any human.
I also in Slave's story identify with Slave and Debbie. It is all about not ignoring the prompting you get in your heart to act. And by acting on it, you get rewarded in unexpected ways. It was a true inspiration to read this.
I pray that God will be present in my life, and that my ears and heart will be open to his will. I pray that He will send the right people to my life, so that we can be a blessing to eachother.