With still no one home and the sun beginning to set, Nancy began cleaning. Suddenly, the next-door neighbour and three young boys joined her. “I began explaining that I didn’t

really know this woman, but I didn’t want her to have to come home to such a mess,” Nancy says. Nancy recalls, “Even after seeing the mess, I just planned to deliver my prayer note and head on my way. I’m really thankful that God’s Spirit nudged me so I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to demonstrate my faith.”

Did the woman who was helped ever respond to the generosity of neighbours and strangers? The answer is yes. But the point of this story is not about that response. The point is about Nancy’s response. “On that day I realised that if I just left my note and drove away, I would

be living a hollow and shallow faith. I had to take the next step.” Is there a colossal scoreboard tracking who is leading the charge in good deeds to be first in line for Heaven when the doors open? No. God’s gift of salvation is a gift. It’s free. You cannot earn it. If you have accepted that gift, you have discovered his grace because you recognise that none of us is worthy of it. You’ll naturally begin to live your life differently.

Have you ever had an experience like Nancy’s? Have you ever realised that you need to take the next step and get involved in someone else’s messy life? If you keep your eyes open, the opportunity is sure to come. — Beliefnet.com (Concluded)