The Work of Our Hands

I had a bit of a set-back this spring; I worried about all the chores that would be left undone until things returned to ‘normal’. I have been bequeathed with unexpected blessings, largely due to the ‘helping hands’ that continued to see that things did get done, and from the work of my own hands, in preparation beforehand.

The longer I live, the more I see that we indeed, ‘reap what we sow’, as scripture reminds us. If we work in our fields and plant seeds of love, the harvest that returns to us is multiplied many times over. Love is simply a thing that grows, and grows, and grows. That is because love is a gift from God; it is His very own signature.

This season in my life brought pain, but it brought something else I never could have expected. I felt such incredible support from friends and family alike, that it made the pain not only bearable, it actually eased the pain tremendously.

The cards, the gifts, the flowers, were highlights, yes; the prayers, the phone calls, and the visits at the hospital and at home, were priceless. Kindness does help heal both the body and the soul. It is a balm for all that ails us. When we are not well, and someone attends to us, we feel the work of the angels on our behalf. We know the healing has begun. Our hearts are happy, even if our bodies are ailing.

Today, I ventured out into the yard. There is much to be done, but it will wait. So much is happening without any effort from me at all. The trees are budding. Bushes my husband and I planted are ready to bloom. Everything is starting to green-up. Bulbs I put in the ground years ago are coming right up with no help from me. Years of work in the gardens have created a harvest that blooms now of its own accord.

In this season of my life, I was dependent on the ‘helping hands’ around me for support…my husband, children, grandchildren, extended family, and friends. Without them, it would have been awful! Of course, I was also dependent on the medical team who helped in the healing of my body. I had a skilled surgeon and I am well again.

We question sometimes if the ‘work of our hands’ really makes a difference. Does it mean that much if we send a card or flowers when someone is sick or recovering from surgery? Is a meal or a cake delivered to your door at times such as these, such an important thing?

No act of kindness is ever wasted. Every prayer is heard. We are the hands of Jesus in this world. I do thank the people in my own life for ‘being there’ for me. But, wherever you are, and whatever you do, be it the smile you offer to a stranger, or the hospitality you extend to others, everything matters. Your gifts of love and kindness change the world!

Romans 12:13: “Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality.”