Thoughts
A couple of weeks ago two older men were launching their new bass boat at the ramp and having problems getting the outboard motor started. In the course of events, the boat drifted away from them and grounded itself on the other side of the cove. A helpful angler in his own boat went over to the wayward boat, tied it to his, and towed it back to the dock. The drifted boat was also filling with water--the drain plug had been put in the livewell drain instead of the boat drain. To further complicate matters, the bilge pump would not work. Watching what was going on, another angler jumped into the sinking boat and worked at getting the outboard to start. Finally it kicked in and he maneuvered the boat onto the boat trailer that was still standing in the water at the boat ramp. The boat was pulled out of the water and left to drain on the sidelines. This was a very awkward moment for the two anglers who were trying to launch the new boat. Besides the anglers who rendered aid, there were other people who had gathered to watch what was happening. Though there could have been lots of guffawing going on about the anglers' plight, there wasn't. Everybody was helpful in offering comments or fixing the immediate problem. (TB)

Action Point
How many times in our everyday lives do we come upon someone who needs help? Maybe it's someone with a stalled car or flat tire stranded along the freeway. Our response might be, "Someone else will stop; I'm running late for an appointment." (I'm guilty of that one.) Perhaps it happens out on the water while fishing: A buddy achieves the backlash of the year; it happens to everybody. He has been picking away at the tangled mess for at least four or five minutes. Do we offer to help clear the backlash, or offer one of our rods for him to use? There are numerous opportunities to help someone in need. We need to memorize what Jesus said, "Go and do likewise."