Her hair was see-through thin, her face wrinkled and weathered, but her eyes were filled with
softness and gratitude. She whispered a “Thank you!” that I did not deserve. In shame, I plastered
a fake smile on my face and nodded. Maybe she knew, maybe she didn’t know…but I didn’t open
that door out of a desire to help her or respect my elders. I was trying to get her feeble body out of
my way. Her weakened condition was a burden to my agenda.
As I held the door open, she continued her slow, unsure walk. Her body didn’t move on my
timeline, because she simply couldn’t do any better. She was old and it was not her fault. She
paused for a second, seemingly unsure of what to do. Seeing my chance, I stepped to the side and
passed her, my one stride equaling her every two. As I got on the escalator, I paused to look back
and it hit me that one day, should God be willing…I will be her! I won’t always be as young and
strong as I am now. There will be a time when my age counts against me and someone views me as
a burden.
As I pondered my future, I heard the Holy Spirit say…she is like the weaker brethren. She is the
part of the body that nobody wants to talk about. Her sermons don’t move us and make us want to
shout. She doesn’t inspire us with her forceful faith. She slows us down with her weakness. She
gets in our way! We don’t have the time to stop and help her, because we are too busy making
things happen and moving forward. In our focus on progress, we are leaving her behind…not
realizing that helping her is the very thing God wants us to do, so that we can all move forward
together.
If we fail to connect with each other and bear one another’s burdens, we will lose the part of our
humanity that God wants to use to change others’ lives. You cannot be so busy for God that you
forget about His people. God can be found in a miraculous healing of cancer, but you are more
likely to find Him in a simple act of human kindness that you can offer to someone on any given
day.
Today, I’d like to encourage you to get off the roller coaster. Take a minute and reconnect with
God’s agenda. He’s not concerned about building mega churches that are filled with people who
don’t even stop to say hello. He wants to build up a body of believers that stop to take the time and
ask each other, “Do you need me?”
I’d like to challenge you to ask yourself the following questions every day for the next two weeks:
1. Who can I help today? We don’t have to all build schools in Africa to make a difference in
someone’s life. Although I acted selfishly in opening the door, my actions made a difference for
the old woman who didn’t have the strength to do it herself. It showed her that when you need
help, someone in this world will stop for you. Who can you show that that what concerns them still
concerns God?
2. Where can I give grace today? Grace is one of the best gifts that we can give each other. I
believe when we act in grace, we show that we understand what God did for us despite the
magnitude of our sins. Each day we should strive to show grace to others like God shows us. He
extends it with a love that tells the truth, but that is willing to step into our dark spaces with us and
partner in our transformation. Take the time each day to give someone grace…you will find that it
changes them, just as it changes you.
3. Where did grace meet me today? Despite your education, your commitment and resolve
and your highly disciplined nature…you are not making it on your own. For Jesus, you are always
the weaker brethren that He comes to strengthen. Every moment of your life, you are kept in His
hands and sheltered from the destruction the enemy would love to bring into your life through
your infirmities. From the moment you woke up, to where you are now…grace has been keeping
you. Take the time to consider Him and thank Him for His grace.
softness and gratitude. She whispered a “Thank you!” that I did not deserve. In shame, I plastered
a fake smile on my face and nodded. Maybe she knew, maybe she didn’t know…but I didn’t open
that door out of a desire to help her or respect my elders. I was trying to get her feeble body out of
my way. Her weakened condition was a burden to my agenda.
As I held the door open, she continued her slow, unsure walk. Her body didn’t move on my
timeline, because she simply couldn’t do any better. She was old and it was not her fault. She
paused for a second, seemingly unsure of what to do. Seeing my chance, I stepped to the side and
passed her, my one stride equaling her every two. As I got on the escalator, I paused to look back
and it hit me that one day, should God be willing…I will be her! I won’t always be as young and
strong as I am now. There will be a time when my age counts against me and someone views me as
a burden.
As I pondered my future, I heard the Holy Spirit say…she is like the weaker brethren. She is the
part of the body that nobody wants to talk about. Her sermons don’t move us and make us want to
shout. She doesn’t inspire us with her forceful faith. She slows us down with her weakness. She
gets in our way! We don’t have the time to stop and help her, because we are too busy making
things happen and moving forward. In our focus on progress, we are leaving her behind…not
realizing that helping her is the very thing God wants us to do, so that we can all move forward
together.
If we fail to connect with each other and bear one another’s burdens, we will lose the part of our
humanity that God wants to use to change others’ lives. You cannot be so busy for God that you
forget about His people. God can be found in a miraculous healing of cancer, but you are more
likely to find Him in a simple act of human kindness that you can offer to someone on any given
day.
Today, I’d like to encourage you to get off the roller coaster. Take a minute and reconnect with
God’s agenda. He’s not concerned about building mega churches that are filled with people who
don’t even stop to say hello. He wants to build up a body of believers that stop to take the time and
ask each other, “Do you need me?”
I’d like to challenge you to ask yourself the following questions every day for the next two weeks:
1. Who can I help today? We don’t have to all build schools in Africa to make a difference in
someone’s life. Although I acted selfishly in opening the door, my actions made a difference for
the old woman who didn’t have the strength to do it herself. It showed her that when you need
help, someone in this world will stop for you. Who can you show that that what concerns them still
concerns God?
2. Where can I give grace today? Grace is one of the best gifts that we can give each other. I
believe when we act in grace, we show that we understand what God did for us despite the
magnitude of our sins. Each day we should strive to show grace to others like God shows us. He
extends it with a love that tells the truth, but that is willing to step into our dark spaces with us and
partner in our transformation. Take the time each day to give someone grace…you will find that it
changes them, just as it changes you.
3. Where did grace meet me today? Despite your education, your commitment and resolve
and your highly disciplined nature…you are not making it on your own. For Jesus, you are always
the weaker brethren that He comes to strengthen. Every moment of your life, you are kept in His
hands and sheltered from the destruction the enemy would love to bring into your life through
your infirmities. From the moment you woke up, to where you are now…grace has been keeping
you. Take the time to consider Him and thank Him for His grace.
EMAIL:
Quoted as one of today's leading
motivational speakers by ESSENCE
magazine, Leadher Coach Scott™ shares
life-changing truths with practical wisdom,
humor and insight. Currently, a columnist
for StreamingFaith.com, her workshops
and seminars are popular at women's,
singles' and youth conferences. For more
info, also visit feliciascott.com or myspace.
com/upliftagency. Follow her at www.twitter.
com/coachfelicia.
Email Coach Scott:
coachscott@eewmagazine.com
Connect on Facebook
Facebook.com
motivational speakers by ESSENCE
magazine, Leadher Coach Scott™ shares
life-changing truths with practical wisdom,
humor and insight. Currently, a columnist
for StreamingFaith.com, her workshops
and seminars are popular at women's,
singles' and youth conferences. For more
info, also visit feliciascott.com or myspace.
com/upliftagency. Follow her at www.twitter.
com/coachfelicia.
Email Coach Scott:
coachscott@eewmagazine.com
Connect on Facebook
Facebook.com
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I had a lot to do. So please tell me why she
stepped in my way. I don’t know her name. I
just know that she moved slowly and I had
things to do. Her presence stopped my
progress. I tried to walk around her, but she
seemed positioned in just such a way that I
couldn’t nudge past her on the right or the
left. Impatience welled up in my heart as I
silently ticked off the things I could get done,
if she would just get moving. I knew she was
old by the hunch in her back, the whiteness
of her hair and the small steps of her gait.
But, I didn’t care. I had something to do!
She reached out to open the heavy glass
doors of the bank, but they refused to give
way to her. She just wasn’t strong enough.
So finally in frustration, I reached over her
shoulder and yanked the door open. It was
then that shame and sadness flooded my
heart as she turned around and smiled at me.
stepped in my way. I don’t know her name. I
just know that she moved slowly and I had
things to do. Her presence stopped my
progress. I tried to walk around her, but she
seemed positioned in just such a way that I
couldn’t nudge past her on the right or the
left. Impatience welled up in my heart as I
silently ticked off the things I could get done,
if she would just get moving. I knew she was
old by the hunch in her back, the whiteness
of her hair and the small steps of her gait.
But, I didn’t care. I had something to do!
She reached out to open the heavy glass
doors of the bank, but they refused to give
way to her. She just wasn’t strong enough.
So finally in frustration, I reached over her
shoulder and yanked the door open. It was
then that shame and sadness flooded my
heart as she turned around and smiled at me.
August 30-September 13
| EEWMAGAZINE.COM |
