Will you pick me up...

...when I fall down?  Expectations of those around us are dependent on a number of factors.  We don't believe that our enemies will come to our rescue.  We don't believe that people who are busy will drop everything for us.  So, who will pick me up when I fall down?  I've fallen many times in my life.  Physically, spiritually, psychologically, and many more ways.  I'd like to say that I've had help being helped up was there.  But it wasn't.  Okay, there has been sporadic help over the years.  I was in church last night and the thought went through my head: "If there was a very real message to me from God that told me to get everyone out of the building right now; would I stand up and do it."  Why does my brain do this to me?  How about this?  Say we are in a store and we see someone shoplifting; will we say anything?  The risk is lower and we can be pretty much assured that we can remain anonymous.  Still, do we "mind our own business" or not?  What's our response when we see a friend who had drank too much and leaving our party to drive home?  I hope you are beginning to see that "risk" can be more than a physical threat.  We risk offending others.  We risk the end of relationships.  We risk our positions at work, church, social gatherings and with our families.  "Did you see what Steve did in church last night?  He stood up in the middle of the sermon and told everyone to get out of the building."  (By the way, this did NOT happen).  "He said that the building was going to fall down."  If the building falls down and everyone has been warned Steve is a hero who saved the day!  So, everyone is standing outside in the rain (it's Seattle) and the building doesn't fall down.  Oops!  See, there are different responses with different reactions coming to a head with the consequences.  When we look at the possible things that could happen if we did speak out we often do not consider the consequences.  If we do, we probably wouldn't say anything.  You hear about the hero's in the military where one soldier falls on a grenade to keep his fellow troops safe.  You hear about the fireman who stays in the building to find the one missing person and loses his life.  You hear about the policeman, emergency room doctor or nurse, and many other professions where hero's are birthed.  What is the difference between us and them?  It's not that they get paid to die.  None of us get paid to die.  It's not the guarantee of fame that they choose to risk life and limb.  Not many of us would give his life for any of our friends, relatives and enemies.  In fact, the history of mankind has shown the vast majority of people will go out of their way to avoid helping their fellow man.  Few people go outside their "responsibility" of their job and family when it comes to anything like choice of service to others.  We throw money at the problem, suggest someone else who is "more capable" than us or just ignore the problem and wait for it to go away.  In my life there have been those times where I went on auto pilot and just did what was the right thing to do regardless of risk to myself.  This is not something where I was told by a bystander: "You go and risk your life.  My life is more important."  Nor was it something my mother or father taught me to do.  When we come to that place where decision meets crisis, we do what our conscience and ability drives us to do.  What drives you and I?  Is our life filled with self denial?  Are we focused so intently on being there for others that our lives become chapters of an exciting novel?  Years ago I was struggling to understand what the real definition of "love" was and is.  There was the perfect definition in how God loves us.  Then there was the imperfect definition that most of us engage in.  In the end, I found the meaning of "love" to be found in our unselfishness.  Selfishness is love of self.  Unselfishness is love of God through us towards others.  Great!  Now I've created yet another area of my life that needs to be cleaned up!  Why can't I just leave well enough alone?  You see the dilemma?  We cannot have it both ways.  Not if we are going to be who God wants us to be.  Most of the time we know what is the right thing to do.  It's our choice whether we actually do that right thing or not.  Pondering that "choice" isn't good enough.  When we are done pondering the questions we started with remains.  Will you pick me up when I fall down?  Will I pick you up when you fall down?  It bids well if we choose to what is right over what is safe.