One of my favorite books when I was a boy was Secret of the Cave by Uncle Arthur Maxwell. It was about some boys who used a cave as a base from which they secretly did good deeds for their community. I used to fantasize how very neat that would be. Now the story has been reversed on me. My electric lawn mower ceased to do its job. The electric motor would whir but the blade did not go around. Unbeknownst to me my very observant engineer neighbor absconded with, repaired, cleaned, sharpened the blade and then returned my mower. It appears to be brand new. Now how’s that for living in a great neighborhood? While I would like very much to do something for him as repayment, I have come to realize that would devalue his gift. Sometimes the finest thing we can do is to allow another to help us. We do not have to respond in kind when a “Thank You” will be just fine.
And then there is the following problem. There is a memorable line from the musical “Annie, Get Your Gun.” It says, “Anything you can do, I can do better; I can do anything better than you.” In my situation the words would be “Anything I can do; he can do better. He can do anything better than I.” I’m not trying to be modest. He really can. He is a gifted engineer.
Sometimes it is difficult for us to sit back and allow another to give. But that is an important part of life. If we were not gracious receivers when would the gracious givers have an opportunity to shine? See Luke 10.
Written by Roger Bothwell on July 23, 2010
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org