“ I Needed Help Picking Up Bricks, Where Were You ?”

“ I Needed Help Picking Up Bricks, Where Were You ?”

On September 11^th, 2013 I was invited to speak at a “One-Million Christian March” in Washington, DC. After I gave my speech in front of not only many Christians but also politicians and their aides as well as interns, I found a semi-shady place to sit and rest so that I could hear the next speaker. I was approached however by a gentleman named “Jim.” He wanted to personally speak with me about something on his heart as was related to what I just finished publicly speaking. Giving him my full attention, he shared with me how he was encouraged by the words I shared and the Bible verses I also quoted as well during my sharing time with him and the crowd. He also went on to share a short story with me how he could personally relate to what I shared with him and all the others. Jim shared his true experience that he is from a town in Nebraska where everyone knows their neighbors and on average, and most folks are fairly friendly towards one-another. One day Jim went on to tell me, an elderly person lost control of their vehicle and crashed into Jim's house. As a matter of fact, that driver actually drove right through the picture window of his home, dislodging many bricks that surrounded the picture window. Apparently, many of those bricks that were dislodged by the car, went flying all over in and outside the home.

Living in such a “tight” community, Jim went on and shared with me soon after the crash, many of his neighbors started to arrive to investigate what occurred to Jim and his house. Jim told me that many of the neighbors that came, were known to him and were self-described as “Christians.” They appeared to be a bit empathetic towards what occurred to Jim and his house, they even offered to “say a prayer” for Jim, however as he went on to share with me, “no one offered to help me pick up the bricks, which is what I needed at the time.” When he shared that information with me along with his feelings of what (lack of)occurred, he was acknowledging what I also spoke to with the crowd earlier that day, that there are lot's of people who talk a good game when it comes to helping others, getting our nation back and other so called-action that they take, but in reality most Americans only “talk the talk, but don't walk the walk.” In fact in my speech, I mentioned that if we want to get our children, family's, community and nation back, prayer is a great necessary first step but that being said, as James 2:17-20 tells us, we then need to immediately move on to action after the prayer is said. 

It doesn't matter if you agree with my following statement or not, but our nation greatly suffers for several reasons. The first reason is that Jesus Himself(of the Bible)has largely either been thrown out of America and or very much ignored. A close second reason as to why our nation is teetering on the brink of

collapse(rotting from the inside out) is the large segments of Americans who are apathetic towards others such as Jim who suffer. Let's be honest here, unless most American's are directly impacted negatively, they don't give two poops towards anybody or anything else in this world. That apathetic attitude permeates here in America. Our society is all about “ME.” As Jim found out, many folks call themselves “Christians”, “humanitarians”, “loving”, “kind”, “generous” but as the Bible describes “their fruit”(of salvation), shows instead that most Americans are in reality not at all Christians, helping, kind, generous or much else good as they self-describe themselves. For the unknowing, praying is easy, requires little to no sacrifice. Praying for someone also costs no financial burden on self and rarely offends anyone. Again, prayer is an essential and important first step, but without action behind it, prayer or calling yourself in terms of being “good towards others” is useless unless it is coupled with righteous action.

There are many Americans as well as others all around the world who are suffering right now. In fact, you may be one of those who I speak about and are in need of help yourself. I myself am often bombarded with requests for prayer and or requesting help myself. Perhaps like you, I am limited to what I am able to help folks, but I don't just say “I'm sorry, I can't.” What all American's should do is look for ways to help others despite the often false belief that they can't do a dern thing to help anyone else. In other words, if you see a problem, don't simply say no, or wait to be asked for help, if you see a need, then go fill that need. If that problem is so large you cannot fill that need on your own, go ask others to join with you and help out the person in need. That is how it used to be done here in America for many years until the late 1960's when the “all about ME” movement began. In fact, relating to volunteering yourself and getting others to help someone else in need, I remember when I was a child if a man lost his job and or a family had no money, my Blue Collar, lower-middle class family would not hesitate to join with other families to go buy groceries and drop off some bags of groceries to that hungry family. Although there may be food banks these days to aide

  hungry folks, it's not the same as other family's gathering around and helping out others. Families helping families and individuals helping others helps builds healthy communities as well as reciprocity. Food banks and Government welfare does no such good thing. Let's face it, everyone needs help at some time in their life. Maybe you don't need help now, but someday, everyone will need a helping hand at some point. Also, food given to food banks are often times food given by corporations, not private individuals. When neighbors give and help, there is a face coupled with the act of true charity and love. In essence and related to Jim's story that I shared earlier, bricks are picked up.

Often times, American's whine, piss and moan about problems and do little to nothing to change their circumstances no less actually help when others ask them for help. Equally sad, many Americans make the big mistake to do nothing and wait for others to come rescue them. They wait for the Calvary to come, which to them is usually either the Federal and or State Government, or perhaps a “church” and often times either way, end up with only feeling sour because the Government agency and or church did not do much to help, or not at all. Let's be honest and real some more here shall we ?, most Americans don't know their neighbors or even have formally met them ever as well. That's sad and relates to America suffering from the “It's all about ME” syndrome I spoke about earlier. America with approaching 314 million living here, the majority of Americans rather not know their neighbors unless it's so they can have some “dirt” on them. We are allowing many to suffer needlessly because we are so self-absorbed and apathetic as a people.

Figuratively speaking, there are “bricks” that need to be picked up in and around millions of homes all around the USA. We have to stop depending on Government and church organizations to help pick up all those bricks. It's high time that many Americans stop waiting to be asked for help, or just plain ignoring the others who cry for help as well also. Apathy needs to also end today. When you see a need fill it. Can't fill that need alone, go get others to help you fill that need for that person who asked you for assistance. No more excuses, when there is fire or trouble, quit burying your head in the sand and or pretending it doesn't exist. Run towards the fire, not away from it. Indeed, bricks lay all over our nation and each brick requires your assistance in picking them up. To those not doing God's business of helping, Get Busy ! To those that already are, thank you and God bless, don't quit.

Matthew 9:37 “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few”

Rev. Paul P. Waldmiller~Black Robe Regiment Pastor