A
Arigirl
Guest
March 5th was a freezing cold day. Any normal person would have been smart enough to stay inside. I think it's safe to say I'm not normal. Though it was a cold day, it was very beautiful out. The snow was glistening, and the neighborhood was quiet. It was the perfect day to take a walk and reflect on God's beauty in creation. That, and you burn more calories in the cold.
On the way out of my house, my dad spoke to me for a minute. "The neighbor is out shoveling her driveway." He said. "Why don't you help her?"
I lazily glanced at the snow sticking to the bottom of his pants and the pile of snow he had tracked in the house, then to the shovel idly sitting outside that he'd previously been using. "Why didn't you help her?" I curiously asked.
"Hey, I just shoveled the driveway." He said. Then he proceeded to take off his shoes. Being a teenager, I struggle with attitude issues. I will not lie. I rolled my eyes as I walked passed him.
I picked up the shovel and began walking to her house. I didn't mind helping her at the least. She needed it, and being 16, I've got a little too much time on my hands sometimes.
When her house was in view, I called, "Hey, I'm going to help you shovel your driveway. Okay?"
She looked up and beamed. "Oh, okay. But I'm almost done."
"Ah." I looked at all the snow piled up on the sides of her driveway. "I guess I got here a little late, then, huh? Well, I'll help you with what you have left."
And I did. We had a nice chat, and then she headed inside and I finished the very last of her driveway. After I finished, I walked up the road.
I was happy to finally be on my walk, but when I looked to my left, I saw a lady shoveling her driveway. I don't know why I looked, either. She wasn't making much noise. As soon as I saw her though, I thought, I'm going to be nice and help her.
So I walked up to her driveway and when she was within earshot, I called, "Ma'am." No reply. "Ma'am." I called louder. I still received no reply. I figured she must be older, so I awkwardly walked even closer and called, "Ma'am." just as she turned around. Upon noticing me, her eyebrows shot up. "Oh hi Ma'am." I said. "I just saw you shoveling all this snow, and I was wondering if you'd like me to shovel your driveway for you?"
"Oh you must be an angel!" She exclaimed. I felt like laughing, but instead I just beamed widely. "I thought I heard something, like an angel, and here you are."
"Oh thank you ma'am." I said, keeping that toothy grin on my face. "Would you like me to shovel your driveway?"
"Oh no! I couldn't have you do that! Oh, but that's so sweet of you!" She said, putting a hand to her chest.
"Oh it's no problem ma'am. And I won't charge you. I'm a teenager; I have no life." I laughed at my own stupid little joke.
"Oh, I couldn't have you do that." She said. "But that's very, very sweet of you. You're like a little angel!"
I blushed at her statement, and said. "Oh but are you sure? It's really no trouble."
She wouldn't have it. After a little more persistence, I finally relented. I couldn't very well take the shovel off of her and do it, and I didn't bring one with me.
"Okay ma'am. But if you ever need help, you can come to me. I live just down the street. Anything at all, you call me. I will do my very best to help you. I'm a teenager; I have all the time in the world."
"Oh you're so sweet." She said. She wiped her eye. "Oh now I'm crying! Thank you so much, you made my day!"
"Oh it's no problem at all. Don't thank me. It's Jesus that makes me want to help people." Then with a few more shared words, and a parting goodbye, I went on with my walk. I even offered my help to another older lady that was shoveling her driveway, who also wouldn't let me help her.
But it was this stubborn old lady that stuck out to me. Because I know I'll be seeing her again. While I didn't include this in the story above, she asked me if I'd stop by when I take walks. And I full on plan on doing that. She's a lonely widow that needs friendship, I've come to learn from this brief encounter. I will show her the love of Christ. Little did she know, that she also made my day and encouraged me to offer help to the other lady. I have a yearning in my heart to help people, and even if it's just a little, easy thing like this, I know God uses that. So next time you see a small opportunity like this to show God's love, do it. You never know who you will bless that day. -ArielLs
Verses
Matthew 25:35-40 NIV35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 And the king will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'
Luke 16:10
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
On the way out of my house, my dad spoke to me for a minute. "The neighbor is out shoveling her driveway." He said. "Why don't you help her?"
I lazily glanced at the snow sticking to the bottom of his pants and the pile of snow he had tracked in the house, then to the shovel idly sitting outside that he'd previously been using. "Why didn't you help her?" I curiously asked.
"Hey, I just shoveled the driveway." He said. Then he proceeded to take off his shoes. Being a teenager, I struggle with attitude issues. I will not lie. I rolled my eyes as I walked passed him.
I picked up the shovel and began walking to her house. I didn't mind helping her at the least. She needed it, and being 16, I've got a little too much time on my hands sometimes.
When her house was in view, I called, "Hey, I'm going to help you shovel your driveway. Okay?"
She looked up and beamed. "Oh, okay. But I'm almost done."
"Ah." I looked at all the snow piled up on the sides of her driveway. "I guess I got here a little late, then, huh? Well, I'll help you with what you have left."
And I did. We had a nice chat, and then she headed inside and I finished the very last of her driveway. After I finished, I walked up the road.
I was happy to finally be on my walk, but when I looked to my left, I saw a lady shoveling her driveway. I don't know why I looked, either. She wasn't making much noise. As soon as I saw her though, I thought, I'm going to be nice and help her.
So I walked up to her driveway and when she was within earshot, I called, "Ma'am." No reply. "Ma'am." I called louder. I still received no reply. I figured she must be older, so I awkwardly walked even closer and called, "Ma'am." just as she turned around. Upon noticing me, her eyebrows shot up. "Oh hi Ma'am." I said. "I just saw you shoveling all this snow, and I was wondering if you'd like me to shovel your driveway for you?"
"Oh you must be an angel!" She exclaimed. I felt like laughing, but instead I just beamed widely. "I thought I heard something, like an angel, and here you are."
"Oh thank you ma'am." I said, keeping that toothy grin on my face. "Would you like me to shovel your driveway?"
"Oh no! I couldn't have you do that! Oh, but that's so sweet of you!" She said, putting a hand to her chest.
"Oh it's no problem ma'am. And I won't charge you. I'm a teenager; I have no life." I laughed at my own stupid little joke.
"Oh, I couldn't have you do that." She said. "But that's very, very sweet of you. You're like a little angel!"
I blushed at her statement, and said. "Oh but are you sure? It's really no trouble."
She wouldn't have it. After a little more persistence, I finally relented. I couldn't very well take the shovel off of her and do it, and I didn't bring one with me.
"Okay ma'am. But if you ever need help, you can come to me. I live just down the street. Anything at all, you call me. I will do my very best to help you. I'm a teenager; I have all the time in the world."
"Oh you're so sweet." She said. She wiped her eye. "Oh now I'm crying! Thank you so much, you made my day!"
"Oh it's no problem at all. Don't thank me. It's Jesus that makes me want to help people." Then with a few more shared words, and a parting goodbye, I went on with my walk. I even offered my help to another older lady that was shoveling her driveway, who also wouldn't let me help her.
But it was this stubborn old lady that stuck out to me. Because I know I'll be seeing her again. While I didn't include this in the story above, she asked me if I'd stop by when I take walks. And I full on plan on doing that. She's a lonely widow that needs friendship, I've come to learn from this brief encounter. I will show her the love of Christ. Little did she know, that she also made my day and encouraged me to offer help to the other lady. I have a yearning in my heart to help people, and even if it's just a little, easy thing like this, I know God uses that. So next time you see a small opportunity like this to show God's love, do it. You never know who you will bless that day. -ArielLs
Verses
Matthew 25:35-40 NIV35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 And the king will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'
Luke 16:10
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.