This past week our family has read and watched the account in Acts 3 of Peter healing a crippled man outside the temple. It is a beautiful account of serving with what you have.
As I pondered about Peter, the new prophet over the Lord's church, I loved his perfect example of humility and giving what he had to give.
Peter was given the priesthood, the authority to do Jesus' work on earth in His absence. He knew he could use it, and he had faith that it would work.
I love his response to the crippled beggar asking "alms" in verse 6;
"Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee."
I feel that in life we look at huge catastrophes and feel this deep yearning to do something. We all have divine nature in us that we want to help our brothers and sisters. But when it happens we stew over it, we worry over it, and when something else comes up it slips away and we end up doing nothing.
One thing I love to say to myself is, "I can't do everything, but I can do something."
This saying keeps me from doing nothing.
One time while my children were young we were driving to the store and we happened upon a really bad car crash. It was near our home and the children looked out and said, "Oh no! Mom! Is anyone hurt?! Look at that car!" I could plainly see the car and my heart ached for whomever was involved. I felt for the drivers, the passengers, the police, the ambulances, and the firefighters. I felt so helpless, I wanted to stop and give a stranger a hug, I wanted to cry for the family, I wanted to find out who it was and make them food, I wanted to send flowers to the hospital, I wanted to do SOMETHING!
But I was helpless, I knew no one involved, yet I had a feeling that I could help in some way. I simply didn't know how to do it.
Here was my moment. I couldn't do everything, but I can do something.
Knowing that I knew nothing of the circumstances of anyone involved, all I could think to do was pray. I asked my four year old daughter and two year old son to fold their arms in the parking lot of the store we were stopping at. I said a prayer. A simple prayer that I hoped would make it to the hearts of the families of all involved. I hoped that the faith of three small souls who came upon the aftermath of a life altering scene would help alleviate the smallest amount of hurt or pain.
Now, years later, whenever there is a suspected or sudden death, a horrible storm near or far, we say a prayer. It was a teaching moment for me, just as much as for my children, that when you feel you can't do anything or when you can't do everything, the least you can do is sincerely pray.
We have all been given gifts, personal, wonderful gifts that are meant to help Heavenly Father help us in the whirlwind called life.
"God does watch over us, and does notice us, but it is usually through someone else that he meets our needs."
President Spencer W. Kimball
We need to remember that we CAN help someone, we can reach out and do something. The only person holding us back or putting doubt in our minds is Satan.
Do something small, do something big, but always keep it within your means. The Lord doesn't expect you to give everything. But He does expect you to do something. Even if it's as simple as a prayer, a hug, a phone call, a visit or a card.
If you have the time, give it. If you have the means, share it. If you have food, make it. If you have a prayer, pray it.
