May 11, 2007 | Seth Barnes | A broken world | 4 Comments | Views 4

What do you do when you see pain?

A man showed up on my blog yesterday at 3:28 pm and wrote this: i am calling for my stepdaughter, please help asap. she is 7.5 months pregnant and has been under a doctor’s care on methadone maintenace, since she was on the methadone clinic when she became pregnant. two days ago she left her b…

By Seth Barnes

11 May 2007, 12:05 am

By Seth Barnes

11 May 2007, 12:05 am

A man showed up on my blog yesterday at 3:28 pm and wrote this:

i am calling for my stepdaughter, please help asap. she is 7.5 months pregnant and has been under a doctor’s care on methadone maintenace, since she was on the methadone clinic when she became pregnant. two days ago she left her boyfriend’s house who became abusive and does not have anywhere to go. we lost our home in the storm and are in a small apartment caring for elderly parents. we put her up in a hotel for 2 days until we find help. she has to go to a meth clinic daily which is a 2 hour drive and has no transportation. she desperatly wants help. please help.

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OK folks, this is a specific concrete need. When needs like this show up, the time for sermonizing about being like the Good Samaritan has passed. How do we as Jesus-followers help? What do you do when you see pain? How do you typically respond?

I looked up his phone number and he and his daughter live in New Orleans. I called and left a message saying that we (that’s you and me) would try to help. He called me back and we talked. He’s a real human being – a plumber by profession trying to care for a daughter who has had a rough time.

So now what? [See next blog about this here]

Comments (4)

R

May 11, 2007 at 3:04 pm

Reply

I worked with families in crisis with ministry in Australia for a while. It was a learning experience to be the hands and feet of Jesus in situations where people have no hope or just need a helping hand. To often in that place where I had the opportunity to be Jesus… I would judge and be cynical… it was in stepping out of my box and going the extra mile that I could really be used by God. It was always exciting, but also a challenge to me in someway.
Let’s go out of our way to serve this family! Let’s help… assist and meet this need. It is amazing that they commented on a blog about this… it is brave and daring… let us step out as well.
Laura

May 11, 2007 at 3:41 pm

Reply

How can those of us outside of New Orleans help in addition to prayers?
Jennifer S

May 11, 2007 at 8:05 pm

Reply

Did he say specifically what he needed… attention, money, prayer, food, bed???
I am a specific kind of asker when I talk to God.

I will do whatever I can to help. I would LOVE to speak with his daughter and pray with her (and him for that matter). You are welcome to give my number to them.

Count me in, Seth. Don’t “have” much, but I am very resourceful…
Shelly

May 12, 2007 at 9:55 pm

Reply

Seth, thank you for pushing past the church walls. It’s so easy to look the other way or use, “I’ll pray for you” as an excuse to not take action.

The last 5 months, 1 John 3:18 has been rolling through my heart:

“Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”

That is point blank. Will I act on what I say? Or is it just for show, but God is the one Who sees my heart.

Thank you for challenging and exhorting.

Shelly Hughes