Short Stories: Too Busy to Help 

Author’s note: I wrote this story in 1983 when I was 17 years old. This story won a blue ribbon, a first place plaque, and third place on the national level of the Teens Involved creative writing competition.

Too Busy to Help

Hurrying toward the kitchen, Ted glanced hastily at his watch. Almost 5:00. He would have to hurry if he wanted to help Mrs. Jensen and still get get to the special church services on time.

Ted tripped into the kitchen almost colliding with his mom leaning against the counter. "Oh, there you are, Son. Do you think you could help me clean the house. I am exhausted and...I--

"Not now, Mom" interrupted Ted. "You know there are special meetings at the church this week. I'll be late if I don't leave in a few minutes. You have anything quick to eat? I'm starved."

Ted's mom sighed as she began preparing something to eat. How Ted hated that sigh! He knew his mom was upset, but he could not help it. After all, she knew he was busy. He worked almost all day to get money for necessities--such as a car. Then during the evenings, he usually had something worthwhile to do, such as church or other philanthropic projects.

Only seldom did he have a free night, and on those nights he was too tired to do anything but relax in front of the television. Ted reasoned that going to church and helping other people were more important than wasting time cleaning the house, especially since cleaning was women's work. His mom did a fine job of keeping the house clean. Ted did not know why she ever complained. She did not go to church or have other priorities to take her away from her homemaking routine.

Ted wolfed down his food, and rushed out the door leaving his mom to clean up his mess. He arrived at Mrs. Jensen's house several minutes late.

Mrs. Jensen looked worried. "I didn't think you were coming."

I'm sorry I'm late. I tried to get here sooner. Now, what would you like me to do today?"

In precisely one hour, Ted had finished most of the work. He then sat down to talk with Mrs. Jensen. He enjoyed working for Mrs. Jensen, who was disabled and needed help. Helping needy Christians was very important, so his services were always free. Oh, Mrs. Jensen had offered Ted money many times, but he always refused. He wanted to be able to say he was serving the Lord.

That day as Ted was getting ready to leave, Mrs. Jensen remarked, "Thanks so much for coming today. I always look forward to your visits. They cheer me up when I am discouraged. You're such a hard worker, too. I know your parents must be proud of you."

Ted nodded his head and turned to walk away. "See you next week."

Mrs. Jensen was such a talker, Ted usually had to pull himself away from her. He looked at his watch. It was after 7:00. He had visited longer than he had realized. He had to hurry, for the special church services started at 7:30.

Driving just slightly over the speed limit, Ted managed to arrive at the church a few minutes early. He took his seat close to the front where he always sat. Since his conversion experience nearly a year ago, Ted had never missed a service at church. He had been sitting for a few minutes when the song leader announced the first hymn. Ted always sang loudly. After a few announcements were made and one last hymn was sung, the guest speaker stepped to the platform.

"Today, I will be preaching from the book of Colossians on the topic, 'Is Christ Lord of Your Life?"'

"Oh no!" Ted groaned. "Not another one of these sermons!" He had heard so many sermons on keeping Christ first in his life that Ted thought he could probably preach one himself. Ted knew that it was his parents who should be here, but they had only come once--the Sunday after Ted had accepted Christ as Savior. Although his parents seemed very interested in Ted's newfound faith, their interest quickly dissipated, and they had not been to church since. They were always too busy to come to church, but Ted knew that they were not nearly as busy as he was, and yet he always had time for church.

Ted's mind focused back on the message.

" ..that in all things, he might have the pre-eminence," declared the speaker. "Pre-eminence means putting Christ first in your life. Is Christ really number one in your life or are you feigning service? Do you say one thing but do another thing? Can others see Christ within you?"

"Of course, others can see Christ within me," Ted thought. "Everyone who knows me well can tell that I love God and want to serve Him."

The preacher continued, "How can you show others that Christ has pre-eminence in your life? Colossians 3:18-22 tells you how you can show others that Jesus is number one in your life.

Wives, if you have an unsaved husband and you want to see him saved, don't preach at him and beg him to come to church. Submit yourself to him in love, honoring and obeying him.

"Husbands, don't rule over your wife as a dictator commanding her to be subject to your every wish; but love your wife as Christ loves the church. Only when you love your wife this much will she be able to see Christ in you and love Him also.

"Young person, perhaps you wonder how you can reach your parents for Christ. The best thing to do is to obey and honor them. You can pray and beg your parents to get saved. You can read your Bible, go to church, and even give of your time to Christian service; but if you don't honor and obey your parents, they won't believe that Jesus is first in your life."

Convicted, Ted sat motionless in his seat. Ted had always figured that the more he served God, the more his parents would realize how important God was in his life and eventually get saved. If what this man said was true, Ted feared he had ruined his testimony in front of his parents. Instead of obeying them by helping them he had been too busy "serving God." Because he had been too busy to help his parents, they were too busy to come to church.

Ted knew what he had to do. Although he enjoyed going to church and helping others, he knew that he would have to obey his parents first. At the end of the service, Ted went forward to pray, asking God to help him keep Christ first in his life and live consistently in front of his parents so that eventually they would get saved.

Driving home that evening, Ted reflected on his decision. He was ready to tell his parents about the decision he had made. As he got out of the car and glanced toward the house, he noticed the house looked dark. "That's strange," Ted mumbled. "Dad and Mom usually tell me if they are going away. Maybe they wrote a note."

When Ted got inside, he found no note. Probably Dad and Mom were in a hurry and had no time to write a note. They would be back soon. Turning to go to his room, he heard the doorbell ring. Ted went to the door and opened it.

"Well, hello, Mr. Reider! If you want to see my parents, they're not here right now."

"I know," he replied. "That's why I came to see you. Your father had to leave in such a hurry, that he called me from the hospital."

What happened?" Ted cried out. "Tell me!"

He hesitated. "Your mom had a heart attack--not too long ago. She's in intensive care....Your father said...well, she's...not doing well."

"That can’t be true. It just can't be! Mom's too young to have a heart attack. She's not even forty, yet."

Mr. Reider, with tears in his eyes, just nodded his head. "Come with me. I'll take you to the hospital."

Though Ted lived only several minutes from the hospital, it seemed to take forever to get there. Ted was too upset to talk, and it seemed as if hours had passed till he finally trudged into the hospital. Ted found his dad and soon both were weeping in each other's arms.

Ted listened as his Dad relayed the details of the evening. Shortly after Ted had left the house, Mom began complaining about being tired and having chest pains.

"You know your mom--rarely complains. I insisted she rest, but she refused. Said she had much work to do. I-I tried to help her, but she insisted she could handle it all....Later that evening, when I checked on her, she seemed flushed and was struggling to breath. Suddenly, she collapsed in a heap. I-I called the ambulance--" Dad's voice trailed in a choke and a sob.

"The doctors fear that Mom has been working too hard." Dad's grey eyes pierced deep into Ted's blue eyes. Ted swallowed and shifted his eyes down in guilt. Mom's heart attack was his fault.

"Dear God," Ted prayed silently, I really blew it. I'm sorry for not helping Mom. Please don't let her die. Give me another chance and help me to say the right words to Dad."

"Dad, why don't we pray for Mom," Ted suggested.

Ted's dad slowly shook his head, "Pray by yourself if you wish, but I don't know how much good it will do. Seems to me that if God really cared, He could have spared us all the pain."

Ted decided to be honest about his failures and his decision to change his actions around the house. Quietly his dad listened. After what seemed an eternity of silence to Ted, his dad replied, "I'll believe that when I see it."

Disappointed, Ted realized he had been a poor example of how a true Christian should act. Until he learned to live like a true Christian, he could not expect his dad to want to become a Christian.

For several days, his Mom's life hung in the balance. Ted pleaded with God to spare her, and God did. Slowly she regained her strength, but it would be many months before she fully recovered, and even then she would not be able to do everything she had done before.

Every day Ted, along with his dad, visited his mom at the hospital. Ted noticed his mom slowly improving in appearance and strength. Finally, after a couple of weeks, she came home. Ted's mom had worried about the appearance of the house but was delightfully surprised to find it spotless. She was even more surprised to find out that Ted had been keeping the house clean, and she stared at him in disbelief when he announced that he would be doing the housework from now on.

Ted guessed that his mom thought he was helping her because she could not do all the work or because he blamed himself for her heart attack and was trying to make up for his wrong. As time passed, however, she noticed that Ted always had time for his parents. He no longer worked as long as before (since he decided he could do without a car a little longer), and he did not rush off to help everybody else, though he still did visit Mrs. Jensen once a week. Ted had at last realized that he needed to do his duties at home before taking on extra responsibilities.

Ted's parents had noticed the difference in Ted, and one day his mom asked him about his change of heart and attitude. Ted explained that although he had been a Christian, he had been selfish, thinking only of himself and the things he had wanted to do. He then told her about his decision to give Christ pre-eminence in his life.

Ted's mom smiled and told him to keep up the good work, but to Ted's disappointment showed no desire to accept Christ as Savior. Nearly a year had passed since his mother close call with death, yet neither of his parents had shown any desire for God. Ted was beginning to feel discouraged, but he kept praying. He felt confident that soon God would answer his prayers.

Getting ready for church the next Sunday, Ted noticed that his parents were also getting dressed. When he asked them what they were doing, they announced, "Getting ready for church."

Ted tried not to act too surprised, but he could not keep from smiling. Maybe today God would answer his prayer.

As he sat in church praying for his parents' salvation, Ted remembered that it was exactly one year ago that he had made the decision to give Jesus Christ pre-eminence in his life. It was one year ago that his mom was so close to death, but God chose to let her live. Ted was excited, for he felt certain that today his parents would get saved. The end of the service arrived, however, with neither parent going forward for salvation.

Ted knew his mom had wanted to go forward, but she never did anything without her husband. Ted also knew his dad resisted going forward because he was a proud and stubborn man. Ted was so disheartened that when he got home, he ran back to his bedroom and poured his heart out to God. He was not aware of how long he had been back there, when he heard a soft knock on his door.

"Yes?"

Ted's mom opened the door. "Ted, may we come in?" Ted nodded.

When Ted turned around there were his parents standing hand and hand with tears running down their cheeks. "Ted, When you became a Christian, we thought you were foolish. But you've changed so much in one year and you've shown us so much love and concern. If knowing Christ has changed you, then we want to know this Christ also.

Looking back on that momentous occasion, Ted has this to say:

That day was special for all of us. Mom and Dad were my physical parents, yet I became their spiritual father. Mom who had been so close to physical and spiritual death one year previously was now physically and spiritually alive.

Yes, I had been too busy to do what I was supposed to do, but God was never too busy for me. God had answered my prayer, but what if I had been too busy to tell my parents how to be saved? Oh, I thank God that He helped me realize, before it was too late, that I was too busy with trivial things while ignoring the most important things in my life. Now, whenever I find myself becoming too busy, I just remind myself about what happened when I had become too busy to help.

Written February, 1984; Revised August, 2000

Copyright Rachel Keller, All Rights Reserved