It had something to do with us not being able to go out for an evening too far away or for too long of a time span without getting someone to watch our son Joey (special needs; age 35.) We mentioned the challenges of exactly “who” we’d have to get to watch him. A young person wouldn’t be appropriate, but an older adult who isn’t comfortable with someone with special needs can be a challenge, too. As this short bit of conversation came to a close, the other person said, “Wow, I just never would have thought of that.”

Sometimes we need to put ourselves into the shoes of another and ask some of the questions that will help us to understand the challenges and struggles others might be facing. It might be that someone is going through a marital challenge, divorce, or waiting to have a child without hope for years, lost jobs, or one with a child with special needs, and the lists go on!

When it comes to our mind that we “would never have thought about that” we should think to ask the next question that helps us to better understand another persons life, background, challenges, and even dreams and death of their dreams. As we come to better understand another, we must take the next step to see if there is a way we can assist or make things better or easier for them. We know there are so many needs that we could fill, and that most of them we’d just never even think about them because we are not going through them. But we need to recognize how we might help the parents of a child with special needs when they need it, or to encourage the one going through a divorce through our words or actions that would appropriately show we cared, or to sit with someone while they sit and wait for their loved one to have surgery in the hospital. Most of us would be surprised if others took such an interest, but I think we’d be totally shocked at the inquiry to help fulfill a need. Let’s ask that next question that will help to answer that which we might “never have thought of” and show the love of Jesus.