When you need help, don’t be afraid to trust

As my husband and I drove through town on a cold winter day, we passed an elderly gentleman that struggled with a walker and large box he had placed on the seat of the walker. He had crossed the road and was trying to maneuver his walker up the slight incline to reach the sidewalk.

I could see some items from his box had fallen to the ground. He looked like he was trying to move but was stuck. We turned the car around to offer our assistance and noticed someone else had also stopped to help.

It would have been easy to continue on our way, but I knew we needed to stop. I inferred the box had come from a nearby donation site where he had received a generous box of food.

As I tried to communicate with him, I realized we had a language barrier. I asked if I could help him. He looked at me with big brown eyes. I motioned to ask him if I could place his box in my car and take it to his home. He just stared at me.

The person who had walked from the donation site to help him spoke his native language and explained to him the box was heavy, and it would be good to let me take the box to his home.

She then asked him where he lived. Reluctantly, the gentleman pointed to a nearby apartment building.

Would he trust a stranger with his food?

I tried to convey that I didn’t need the food and would take it to his apartment. A tear rolled down his cheek. He understood, smiled and gave me two thumbs up—a language we both understood.

I loaded the items into my car and we drove the short distance to his apartment building. I took a few of the items up three flights of stairs, set them by his door and went back for the rest.

By now, the gentleman had made his way to his apartment. As we stood at the door, I asked him his name. He handed me his identification and the statement he had used to collect the food.

In the short time since we first met, he had trusted me with his food and now his ID. As I left his home, tears came to my eyes.

Aren’t we all like this at times?

We know we need help, the Lord offers help and we contemplate if we should trust the next step or plan. He goes before us to prepare the way.

By the time we meet up at the destination, with tears in our eyes, a smile on our faces and two thumbs up, we completely trust him.

“Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.” Psalm 37:3

Thank you, my neighbor with the walker and heavy load, for the valuable lesson about trust.