DD#19 Maybe its a blessing

Proverb 11: 24-25...One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

I get distracted easily. Always have. I've always seen it as a curse, but after Bible study yesterday, I wonder if it isn't really a blessing in disguise.  We were talking about how God wants us to be aware of those around us because when we are always looking inward at ourselves we miss the chance to help others.

Today I was early to pick the girls up from school, so instead of parking on the side street and walking across the field like I do everyday, I found a space in front in the pick up lane. Because I was  15 minutes early, I picked up a book and started to read. I noticed the mom in front of me get out of her car and start talking to the mom next to me and then I went back to reading my book. I was blessed with good hearing as well because a few minutes later I hear, "I can't get it to start!" Her battery had died and she had no clue what to do about it. The other mom didn't have any jumper cables either. Fortunately for her, Scott gave me jumper cables our first Christmas together before we were married! As we were attaching the cables to the batteries, several other moms commented about how great it was that I had cables in my car. Not that this was any big feat, but I realized how God puts us in places for a reason. I could easily have gotten out of my car and stood by the door waiting for my children, but I stayed in my car. I could have been hyper-focused on my book and never realized the need that had developed just a few feet away.

How many times to we pass people by who need help because we are too focused on something else like our latest text, email, or phone call? How hard is it to take a look around and see what God wants us to see? While I'm sure I'll still be annoyed by my inability to focus when anything else is going on in the room, but now that I see an upside to it, I'll try to remember that God wants us to notice what is going on around us.