Think About Others

Think About Others “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 Have you ever imagined facing the worst event of your life, knowing exactly what is coming and how difficult it will be, and at the same time thinking about others and helping someone during this time? This is the example Jesus gave us in the Garden of Gethsemane, as he was being betrayed by Judas with a kiss. In an effort to protect Jesus, Peter pulled a sword and cut off the ear of one of the soldiers. But Jesus touched and healed the soldier’s ear. I can recall the night before my grandfather died, he knew that he was in his last hours, and saw that I was upset. He spent several hours just talking to me that night as I sat on the side of the bed, reassuring me and comforting me. I was only about 14 years old at the time, but I will always remember that he was concerned about me and was trying to comfort me and prepare me. He did not talk about him dying, but we talked about a lot of things, all of which he knew I loved to talk about. We talked about hunting and fishing and our dogs; things that were happy and times where we had enjoyed ourselves together. I have always remembered this time as afterwards I felt very good, and as I have gotten older I have realized that he was concerned about me and was trying to give me a good memory of him. I believe that God would have been pleased with this kind of behavior, and that each of us should think about others instead of ourselves when situations like this occur. Jesus set the example for us, and I believe he was pleased with the example of my grandfather and his compassion for me. So often we only think about ourselves when bad events happen, not realizing that others may also be hurting as well. We all need to use the example Jesus gave us and think about others. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven August 22