One night not long ago, my son wanted some crackers for a bedtime snack. The crackers he wanted was for a baby shower that my wife was going to the next day, so we told him he couldn't have them. Disappointed, he hung his head and just sat at the table. I felt sorry for him and said, "Tell you what buddy, if there are any left, mommy will bring them home and you can have them tomorrow night for a snack." He immediately perked up, ran over to me and stuck his hand out for me to shake. A bit perplexed and amused I asked "What's this?" Through a laughing breath my son replied, "We made a deal. We need to shake on it." I did and that was enough. He trusted that what was spoken would happen just from that simple gesture.
I remember when there was a certain amount of trust among almost everyone in that way. A handshake was all you needed to know that what ever was said would happen. It didn't matter if you knew the person or not. If you shook on it, it was going to happen. People had a general trust granted to each other. But something happened to me the other day that made me realize just how far our society has gotten away from that level of trust between people.
As I was leaving Wal-Mart, an elderly lady was checking out in front of me. I had only a few items, and she had several. It was cold, snowing, and the wind was brutal. I simply asked her as she was paying for her items, "Ma'm, can I help you load your groceries in your car?" Now, I said this in as caring of a voice as I could, but the look on her face would have said otherwise. She looked at me as if I had just threatened to take her money, steal her car, and leave her for dead. The young man at the cash register didn't help matters either. Bewildered he looked at me like I had just screamed profanity at the Pope. She assured me quite fervently, "NO! I can do it just fine. In fact, my husband is waiting for me!" I smiled and said, "Ok, God Bless." The cashier just gave me a mean stare as he rang up my items and I paid. As I went out, I watched this elderly lady walk to the end of the parking lot and load her groceries by herself.
Have we really gotten that un-trusting of other people? That we can't even offer help that people don't think you are taking advantage of them?
I don't know about you, but I am going to keep offering help. I may get strange looks, people may continue to turn me down. But no matter what, I will be as much like Christ as I can. I will always offer help.
In Christ,
jon walton
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