Learned, Applied, Helplessness

I must admit that I am a little tired. It has been a long week. This coffee is way too good!
A wise pastor recently spoke in our Men's group and said that he believes that "all people possess the gift of helps". I tend to agree.
Now just the opposite is where we are looking this morning.

— Proverbs 26:13-16 —
A sluggard says, "There's a lion in the road,
a fierce lion roaming the streets!"
As a door turns on its hinges,
so a sluggard turns on his bed.
A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than seven people who answer discreetly.

I do believe that we are to help one another. But I also believe the following. That as a culture many have learned to be "helpless". And they have learned to apply it. Ouch. A new term "applied learned helplessness".

My mother used to say. "If you are looking for a helping hand,  first look at the end of your own arm."

The same people who receive help often are not available in any way to help others. I recently timed what it takes to make a phone call of encouragement to someone. A whopping four minutes!!!!! We must teach and encourage each other through love and accountability to do what we can for ourselves and others.

Pray today for God to stimulate us to move on our own behalf, evaluate if we can do it ourselves, and if not, while others might be helping us, seek what can we do for someone else. And do it without grumbling. Feel free to pass this one on. You might just save someone from a case of terminal "learned applied helplessness".

God bless,
Have a wonderful weekend.
Marty