"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil." Luke 6:35
All around the country yesterday,the temps were 10 degrees (or more) higher than average for this time of year. The oppressive heat in Langhorne, Pennsylvania didn't stop one determined 11 year old from going for a run though. Ryan Tarapchak made a commitment to go for a run every day between August 8 and September 8 and he has not let anything, including the weather, stop him. For almost a month, he has been running to help raise funds for Isabella O'Brien, his friend's 6-year-old sister who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. His initial goal was to raise $10,000 but he has surpassed it by $1,000 with a week remaining.
Isabella's father said, "For an 11-year-old kid deciding to do something like this so selflessly for someone else, his parents should be very proud of him. Most kids want to spend their summer going to the pool or parties, but Ryan wants to spend every day running in 95-degree weather to raise money for someone else.” The selfless act of helping another is exactly what we should be doing at every opportunity as well. In fact, the bible commands us to "do good... expecting nothing in return," Here was a boy who simply saw someone in need and heeded the call. Have we?
As Christians, are we looking for opportunities to help others? Are we heeding the call? Might we all learn something from Ryan and today look for ways we might do good for someone else expecting nothing in return. What a difference we could make!
Heavenly Father, thank you for the example you set by loving others selflessly. May we strive to daily love our enemies, help those in need and to do good that others may see You in us. Open our eyes to see the opportunities around us to do so and to heed the call. It's in your precious name we pray, Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment