Children in our church are taught a song that starts out, “When we’re helping, we’re happy.” If I needed convincing of that, the last two sundays would have done the trick. Within our church boundaries is a retirement home. We have a number of elderly women who can no longer drive and find the distance too far to walk. So our men’s group is in charge of making sure they get picked up each Sunday morning, and taken back after the main services are over.
I hadn’t taken a turn yet, usually because getting my own kids ready and to church on time is enough of a task, but two weeks ago circumstances were such that I had the time to volunteer. These women are just the sweetest, most cheerful, and most grateful bunch I’ve ever met. Just spending that little bit of time helping them left me feeling almost bouncy. I enjoyed it so much I signed up for the next week, too. They’re just a wonderful bunch of ladies.
Now, helping other people is a good idea in any case, and usually makes you feel good. But when the people you help are so cheerful and so thankful for the help you can’t help but feel better about yourself as a human being. So really, there are two lessons here. The first is to help other people. The second is, when accepting help, to receive as cheerfully and with as much gratitude as you can. That, in its own way, is helping, too.