The Tiny Crutches
When I was four years old, I was playing with some other children outside on a snowy day. What fun it was to play “follow the leader.” I was pretty small but thought I was as big as all of the other kids. When they jumped over an obstacle, I did the same thing. When they circled a tree, I did the same thing. When they climbed up on an old tree stump with a huge crack in the middle of it, I did the same thing…well, almost the same thing. They all jumped off on the other side of the stump, but I had on rubber boots, and when I jumped, my little boot was stuck in that crack. All of me jumped, but my leg didn’t. The pain was terrible and I screamed like the baby I was.
Of course, my mother (who was a nurse) came running, and immediately knew that my leg was badly broken. She took me to the hospital, which was actually a big two story house where the only doctor in town saw patients. He set my leg in a cast that covered my entire leg. I couldn’t walk on that leg for several weeks, but the day came when he said I could put weight on it if I could get a pair of crutches.
Crutches for a four year old were just not an available item in those days. There were no medical equipment stores for little ones. However, there was a very kind neighbor who was a woodworker. He measured me from my armpit down to the ground and carefully made me a little pair of wooden crutches. I still have them to this day. They sit out in our home office as a reminder of the kindness that was shown to me as a very young child.
I picked them up the other day and my mind went back to the days of having to use those crutches, and the kindness of the one who made them. You see, my leg in that cast did not heal straight, and the cast was replaced by a brace. The crutches were necessary equipment for several more months.
Why would I tell you that whole story? After all, that was so long ago. I tell it so that you will realize that the kind things you do for others may not seem like much to you, but your heart will remember a kindness shown possibly even years from now. Just like I still remember the name Mr. Harm Relmeyer all these years later, possibly you will remember someone from your past who helped you along the way.
Hearts are shaped all along our path of life. Sometimes they are shaped by the bad things that happened to us, but the opposite of that can also be true. I hope you will take some time to think back on your life, maybe even get out some old photographs that will help you remember those who have shaped your heart. My prayer is that goodness and kindness has shaped all of your hearts, and that these examples have shown you how important it is for you to follow in those steps.
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them” (Matt. 7:12).
AUTHOR: Donna Faughn
