Please, May I Help You?Sample

DON’T REFUSE AN OFFER

My Dan was a very independent man and liked to do things for himself.  Even after losing his arm, he found ways to continue to be as independent as possible, yet there comes a time when a person becomes so overwhelmed with what they are going through that they need to relent and let others help when the offer is there. 

Why do you think one of the greatest of all lessons God taught to His disciples right before going to the cross?  He held a foot washing service.  Peter didn’t want Jesus washing his feet.  It is a matter of pride.  Read how Jesus responded:

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand. “No,” said Peter, you shall never wash my feet.”  Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you  have no part with me.”  John 13: 6-8 

I remember Dan’s first shower after his amputation.  I saw him try to rig up a backwashing stick that had a long net over it and adhere it to the shower wall so he could do his back and only arm.  The problem was, there was no way he could maneuver his only ‘underarm.’  

Rehab gave him a tool to button his buttons on his shirts, but it was crazy and took him forever to do it.  Time and time again, I said, “let me do this for you.”  Finally, after much struggling there came a morning where he said, “Norm, would you help me shower; would you help me put my socks on and button my shirts.”  

I will forever be thankful for his persistent side, for I learned many valuable lessons as I watched his ingenuity, coming up with creative ways to remain as independent as he could.  

Did you know the kitchen sink drain works perfectly to sit a soda can into the drain hole, giving the perfect leverage to open the pull tab with only one hand?  I didn’t either until Dan discovered it was a tool that could help him in many ways.

One thing neither of us wanted was for him to become dependent on me and I could tell that he would never allow that to happen.  The first few times I began to assist him, I could tell it was awkward for him to give in to that help, but after time passed, those times became special to me.

CAN YOU RELATE?

Try to think of a situation where another person offered to give you help.  Did you accept their offer or thank them and refuse the offer?  As we continue this study, we are going to learn that many beautiful things happen, when you say, “Yes!”