You shall not see

your brother's donkey

         or his ox

fallen down along the way

          and ignore them.

You shall help him

    to lift them up again.

           Deuteronomy 22. 4

(Any kind of need

is an opportunity to love others.

Kindness is never

              a random act.

Before us

in our comings and goings,

we are surrounded

by unexpected occasions

  to love others to Jesus.)

O LORD,

open our eyes

to the gaping needs around us,

the wounds

     and the brokenness,

and to see donkeys in the ditch.

Please let us know

    how to respond to need

 -- both obvious and invisible--

and to be incredibly aware

    how to love others through it.