From Our Mailbox - Midas Touch Response

The following letter was printed in the January-February 2014 issue of NGJ Magazine.

On October 25th I came across the article The Midas Touch by Debi Pearl. Since we had just read Proverbs 24 (referenced in the article) the previous day, I decided that it would be good to read the article as a family after breakfast. The children were familiar with the idea of helping others; it’s a part of who we are as believers. One example in the story struck a nerve. We live on a small farm and know the value of hay. My older children were in disbelief that the teenagers in the story would let a couple of farmers struggle to save precious hay from an approaching storm and not offer to help.

We have raised our children to notice when someone needs assistance and to be helpful not only when asked. We model this when we help others buy groceries, push a car out of the intersection, or help clean up after the fireworks on the Fourth of July.

So it wasn’t a surprise when on the next day my oldest son at home called to tell me that he had finished work and had stopped down at the park to help set up for a community festival. Once a year in our small town, an older gentleman who grew up here but moved away and became successful throws a fall festival for the community. My son was on his way home when he noticed that they could use some help setting up the tables.

When our family went to the event, our son and oldest daughter helped with the children’s games. At the end of the event, the gentleman’s niece told me how impressed she was that two teenagers would just step up and volunteer their time. Both of them were publicly thanked for their service, but in private the well-to-do uncle offered his future help if our teens ever needed anything. Seeing a need, filling that need, and then knowing that you have done a good job by bearing another’s burden is its own reward. But sometimes doing the menial or small tasks of setting up or cleaning up can yield blessings far beyond the value of the task performed.

Greater than being blessed for not getting weary in doing well, it was a testimony to the niece and her uncle, and hopefully that will lead to sharing the gospel with them and others. Thank you, Debi, for reminding us of the value of training the next generation to step up and serve.

— Reader