Articles
Another Face in the Crowd
Another Face in the Crowd
“The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the LORD has made them both.”
Proverbs 20:12
Tyra Winters is a Senior at Rockwall High School in Texas. As she was riding on a float in her homecoming parade a couple of months ago, she heard cries for help from the crowd. As she scanned the crowd, she realized the cries were coming from a mother holding up her child. Then Tyra noticed the child's face was red and he was beginning to turn blue. Tyra sprang into action jumping from the float, running up to the mother, and telling her "I've got this". Tyra performed the Heimlich maneuver for a toddler as her mom had taught her. In doing so, she was able to clear the toddler's breathing passage and she made sure the child was breathing. Instead of hanging around for praise, Tyra ran and leapt back onto the float joining her classmates and finishing the parade. What can we learn spiritually from the brave and level-headed young woman from Texas?
First, Tyra was listening. In spite of being surrounded by her friends making noise along with the noise of the crowd, Tyra was listening for cries of those in need. Cries from help at church are often not as obvious as the cries of a mother for her choking child. It takes work on our part as listeners to hear one another's needs. We must move beyond the foyer conversation of "Hi, how are you doing?" and "Fine, how are you?" to actively listening and asking questions. We will never hear the cries for help from our spiritual family unless we listen and pursue a deeper conversation. We must get to the heart of each family member's struggles and needs in order to help them.
Second, Tyra was looking. Certainly, Tyra saw both familiar and unfamiliar faces along the parade route. However, once she knew that someone was in trouble then she began looking for signs of trouble in their faces. What do you see when you look across the auditorium at a brother or sister? Do you just see just another face in the crowd? When you focus upon their face are you looking for signs of trouble? Do you see grief in their eyes or worry on their face? Only after we hear and see the struggles of a brother or sister can we spring into action and help them back on their way.
Third, Tyra was not concerned with glory. She did what needed to be done and went on her way. She did not stand around hoping someone would pat her on the back, ask for an interview or vow undying debt of gratitude. There is always more work to do and a lot more of it will get done if (a) we do not care who gets the glory and (b) we do not take time off to collect our earthly reward.
Each member of our family will experience trouble in their lives. The struggles of this world and draw of sin can choke out their lives unless we are there to help. We must be vigilant. We must be listening for their cries of help. Also, we must be looking for ways in which we can help. Remember, the person you see across the auditorium is not just another face in the crowd. They are your family. --Edited
