REFLECTIONS

HE EXPECTED IT OF ME!
There is a story told of two If your heart is full of love, you always have
brothers who were fighting in something to give.
the trenches during World War I.
The younger was lying wounded Wouldn’t it be wonderful if people would simply do
in action in “no-man’s land,” the what Jesus said to do? Jesus said, “Love thy neighbor
deadly area that lay between the as thyself” (The Bible, Matthew 22:39), but when people
opposing armies. When the older don’t treat others with much love, they’re going to have
brother in the trench heard of the plight of his younger problems.—And they have. Believe it or not, it is possible
brother in the field, he said to his officer, “I’ve got to to say that all of the evils in the world today have their
go get him!” root cause in people’s lack of love for God and each oth-
His officer said, “It’s impossible! You’ll be killed er. Nevertheless, the simple love of God and each other
the minute you stick your head out of this trench. You is still God’s solution, even in such a complex, confused
know the enemy always opens fire the minute we go and highly complicated society as that of the world to-
over the top!” day. If we love God, we can love each other and even re-
But the older brother tore himself loose from his of- spect each other as creations of God. We can then follow
ficer’s grip, scrambled out of the trench, and plunged His rules of life, liberty and the possession of happiness,
into no-man’s land to find his kid brother, despite the and all will be well and happy in Him.
enemy’s fire. He soon found him, mortally wounded, So ask God to help you love your neighbors with
and whispering, “I knew you’d come!” His love. And remember, “neighbor” doesn’t only
The older brother, himself now also wounded, barely mean the one who lives next door. It is anyone we meet
managed to drag his younger brother back to the Allied who needs our help, regardless of their race, creed,
lines. Both of them fell down into the trench, dying. color, or nationality.
With tears streaming down his face, the officer —DBB
said to the older brother, “Why did you do it? I told
you you’d be killed!”
But the older brother replied with a final smile, “I For Others
had to do it! You see, he expected it of me. I couldn’t
Lord, help me live from day to day
fail him.” In such a self-forgetful way,
—David Brandt Berg That even when I kneel to pray,
My prayers will be for others.
Hereby perceive we the love of God: Because He
[Jesus] laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay Help me in all the work I do
down our lives for the brethren (1 John 3:16). To ever be sincere and true,
And know that all I do for You
The glory of life Has to be done for others.
Is to love, not to be loved; Let self be crucified and slain
To serve, not to be served; And buried deep, and all in vain
To be a strong hand in the dark May efforts be to rise again—
To another in the time of need; Unless to live for others.
To be a cup of strength to any soul
And when my work on earth is done
In a crisis of weakness.
And my new work in Heaven begun,
That is to know the glory of life. May I forget the crown I’ve won
◆ While thinking still of others.

God cares for people through people. Others, Lord, yes, others!
—Let this my motto be.
◆ Help me to live for others,
A man cannot touch his neighbor’s heart with any- That I may live like Thee.
thing less than his own. —Elizabeth A. Fenley
◆

R24
Reflections © 1995 The Family
David Brandt Berg (1919–1994) was founder of The Family.
Visit our Web site at www.thefamily.org.

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R300 GP—March 2004 Topics: death, Heaven, loved ones waiting on the other side, faith