Acts 20:35 (CEB)

35 In everything I have shown you that, by working hard, we must help the weak. In this way we remember the Lord Jesus’ words: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”


Reflection

Something you may already know about hermit crabs is that their shells are sort of like their very own homes. When they outgrow them, they need to find a new one. What you may not know is that a usable shell for a new home can be very difficult to find. So say a medium-sized hermit crab whose outgrowing their shell finds a shell way too big for it to be able to use. Do they go look for one of the correct size? No. They hunker down and wait for their other hermit crab friends to come join them. As the many hermit crabs join together, all of different sizes, they begin to organize themselves based on size, going from biggest to smallest for the purpose of giving their shell homes down the line. If a crab big enough for the new shell isn’t there yet, everyone waits. When the biggest crab arrives, it takes its spot at the front while the rest rearrange accordingly. Once the big crab takes on the new big shell home, every crab down the line begins to transition to its next size up home. With this system, not only is everyone guaranteed an upgrade of some sort but it saves a great deal of trouble for the crabs who may be weaker from struggling to find a new shell.

We don’t always work like this, but we could! Our society instills in us a mindset of “I did it so why can’t you?” We need to resist this. Instead, when we accomplish something or gain something in our lives, we can recognize it as a blessing and ask ourselves how we can bless others with it.

By Rachel Callender


For Pondering & Prayer

Can you think of a time when you were in a tough spot and someone unexpectedly helped you? What about a time when you helped someone who was down and out? What does it mean to you to resist thinking of blessings as a competition?

Prayer: Lord of the weak and the strong, of the small and the tall, of the young and the old, of the givers and the receivers – bless us today with hearts that seek ways to spread the many blessings you have bestowed on each of us. Amen.