I Keep AAA in Business

Let's say you locked your keys in your car...with your child in in it. Which of the following would you prefer in that situation?
A)A friend who panicked
B)This friend would analyze the situation very carefully. Great. But in all of the analyzing did nothing. Friend B would want to tell you how great of a mistake it was and how not to do it in the future and how to do this and that and the other. Great. But the problem is still a problem. It hasn't solved anything.
C)This friend would say "I'm praying for you." Friend C would pray. He really would. Then he would preach a sermon about mistakes. He wouldn't ever say "You shouldn't ____," but in fact would be preaching to you. He would call in encouragement. Hmmm...still the problem remains - baby and keys are in car.
D)Friend D runs inside, asks her husband "What should we do? Keys are in car with the baby? Call AAA?" And within seconds is on the phone with AAA. Never scolds. Then insists on waiting out in the cold with you while AAA is on their way. And spends the time chatting it up so that you don't panic.

Well, thank the Lord in heaven above that I have Friend D. I did it. I locked my keys in the car...with a sleeping Xman in it. It actually happened about 3 or 4 weeks ago, but I just forgot about it. I am the reason we pay $51 annually for AAA. I'm notorious for locking keys in cars just because. Well, at that point I hadn't yet renewed our membership so thank goodness my friend had. I was leaving her house, had put Xander in the back and threw the keys into the front seat in a car that doesn't have auto locks. I almost panicked, but I was thankful for several things:
1)My lovely friend who had just renewed her AAA membership.
2)My lovely friend who stayed with me the entire time, though she had dinner to make for 3 hungry kiddos and never complained about any of it. Nor did she make fun of me at that moment. Nor did she scold me.
2)My Xander was already asleep when I put him in there. It wouldn't have been fun had I put him in there half awake. He eventually would've gotten desperate because of the still car and prolly would've cried hard. Thank you, Jesus, that didn't have to happen. I think that would've really stressed me out.
3)It wasn't summertime. We really would've just had to break a window had it been spring or summer.
4)Speedy AAA people who understood there was a baby in the car and were there speedily.

I shared the hypothetical situation because...well, because I'm just venting frustration about some recent situations that have nothing to do with keys being locked in cars.

In all things, we are to respond in love. Now that means different things in different circumstances and with different people. When I locked my keys in my car, I knew what I had done. The minute I shut the back door, I knew. Sitting out there, praying to God that Xander would continue to sleep was enough for me. It was like punishment...not that I needed 'punishment,' but you get what I'm saying. Sometimes the consequences don't need further consequences. A lecture would have done nothing for me. Someone analyzing the situation wouldn't have helped either. What I needed at that moment was action, and that's what my lovely friend did.

When someone is in trouble, a lecture, analysis, prayer majavascript:void(0)y all be helpful. They may all be necessary, BUT everything must be timely. There IS, my friends, a time for everything. When someone messes up, we should be the last to point fingers...to throw stones. At that point most people usually know where they've messed up, and what they need is understanding. They need to know they're not alone. And they need to know that you'll be there no matter what. They need to know it's going to be okay. There will be time for the other stuff later. They just need a little love.

Oh, and I learned something too. So on the back of my Texas DL, there's this number that you're supposed to be able to call if you're out on the road and need help. Well, that basically only works if you're out on a major highway. Glad I never depended on that.