Knock - Knock

I’m definitely an amateur when it comes to social work. It seems irrational to say for I find myself in the midst of mild to tragic situations of life on a regular base. When my office phone or doorbell rings, very often it’s a stranger looking for help in some sort of way. All too often though, I can’t help them solve their dilemma, but I can generally steer them in a good direction to find the help they’re seeking. I can’t help but pour my heart into prayer for those who are dealing with all the victims of the Spring weather across the country. I deal with food and prescription meds and maybe helping with a water bill or two, but how does one deal with hundreds of families who have lost everything in a matter of minutes? They woke up one morning in the midst of all their possessions, comfortable and content, only to find they had no place to rest at the end of the day. I see the need, yet I rationalize my affordable donation won’t help much, my skepticism convinces me my donation will never reach those who need it and my self-preservation whispers to me I should hang on to my donation for I may be the one in need tomorrow. What an overwhelming web of uncertainty we live in.
A man and his wife are in bed when there is knocking on the door. He rolls over and looks at the clock – 3:30 a.m. I’m not getting out of bed at this time he thinks, and rolls over. Then, there was a louder knock. “Aren’t you going to see who it is?” asked his wife. So, he gets dressed, drags himself to the door, finding a man quietly standing there. It doesn’t take long to figure out the man is drunk. “Hi, there”, slurs the stranger. “Can you give me a push?” “No! Get lost! It’s half past three and I’m in bed!” says the man and slams the door. He goes back to bed and tells his wife what happened. “That wasn’t very nice of you”, said the wife. “Remember the rainy night we broke down with a carload of kids and you had to knock on a stranger’s door for help? What would have happened if he told us to get lost?” “But the guy is drunk!” says the husband. “It doesn’t matter”, says the wife. “He needs our help and it would be the Christian thing to help him the best we can.” So the man gets out of bed again and gets dressed to go help the stranger. He opens the door and not being able to see the man in need he shouts, “Hey! Do you still need a push?” From somewhere in the night darkness he hears, “Yes, please!” The man looks around and not seeing the stranger shouts, “Where are you?” A voice returned from the darkness, “I’m over here, on your swing.”
[Revelation 3:19-20] Jesus tells a story of a man awaken by a knock on the door (Luke 11:5-8). It was a friend looking for bread to feed another friend who has stopped by while on a journey. “…I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is a friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.” It does take boldness to ask when you’ve never had to ask for help before. I’ve had to do it, and it hurts. Do we have a problem with God because we lack boldness? Physically we are willing to do whatever it takes to get what we want or need. Spiritually we seem timid and lost as what to do (James 4:1-3). John says that we can approach God with confidence, knowing that what we ask for is heard by God and he will answer (1 John 5:14-15). A stranger may slam the door in your face, but a friend will always do what he can. Are you a friend of God? Jesus said, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.” Invite Him in. Get to know Him. He wants to help in your time of need.