WRITTEN 6/4/22
“PUSH THE BRAKE! PUSH THE BRAKE!!” Benny’s holler got my adrenaline pumping and I raced to the tractor. Instead of hitting the brake, though, I panicked and pressed the accelerator as far as it would go. The tractor not only forcefully ran into the dumpster, but it pushed the whole dumpster over.
Benny was dumping trash using his tractor. He hadn’t set the parking brake, so as we focused on moving things around inside of the dumpster to make room for the new load, the tractor eased its way up to the dumpster and pinned Benny’s leg to it.
That’s when he called me to action. Thankfully, Benny was able to extricate himself before I tried to “help” him. He saw the panicked look in my eyes and knew he’d be better move, and fast. If he hadn’t been able to get himself out, we would have had a HUGE problem, and I could have broken his leg or worse. After my effort to rescue him, we had a full dumpster to sit back up, which was even more work than we began with.
I was only trying to assist him, but I made things considerably worse. It really shook me up, and I vowed never to get on the tractor again.
As I thought of that incident throughout the day, I wondered how many times I’ve done that…tried to “help” a friend or family member and made matters worse. How many times does someone call me just needing to talk or vent and my mind automatically start searching for a solution? (I think that’s the Martha in me. 
)
Bottom line, I am NOT anyone’s Savior. Jesus is. It is not my place to fix whatever situation needs tending to. It is my job to take them to the Savior and allow Him to take care of them.
**We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good. 2 Thessalonians 3:11-13
I don’t want to be considered a busybody, always sticking my nose in other people’s business. I want to be someone who can pray for them and lead them to the Savior, then let God take over from there.
LORD, You place many people in my life and path that ask for prayer and need help. Remind me that I am not the solution, You are. It is not my job to “rescue” them and find a solution. You’ve already got it, and I just get in the way. When I interfere, it messes things up worse and makes more work on You. Allow me to point them to You, then step out of the way. Help me to mind my own affairs and not be a busybody. On the occasions You do call me to action, give me the wisdom to do exactly what You ask, no more and no less. Thank You for being our Savior and thank You for always being willing to fix our messes. Thank You that Benny wasn’t hurt in this near-miss. In Your Precious Name, amen.
**And to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
**Living out here with just the two of us guarantees that I will end up back on the tractor assisting Benny, sooner or later. He has promised to give me tractor lessons, so that next time I will be prepared to truly help him.
ON THE PORCH 