Especially if there are fractions involved...

"then you shall help him"

Leviticus 25:35

My son did something I love today.  Something he hasn't been in the habit of doing very often, although I've tried to remind him.

It happened while he was doing his algebra.  He was in his room, and I was in the living room, and he came out and double-checked with me the procedure on one of his problems.

Isn't that awesome?

Oh, sure, maybe that seems like no big deal to you, but his pattern in the past has always been to just skip over hard problems.  He does his homework, but when he gives it to me in the morning, anything he didn't understand, he has just left undone.  He has a very carefree, "oh well, nothing I can do about it" way of thinking. 

And to be honest, in many other ways in his life, it serves him well.  He's easygoing, has a ready smile, and rarely worries about things.  Maybe there's a bit of Scarlett O'Hara in him ("I'll worry about it tomorrow.") 

There's also more than a bit of me in him, as I too, tend to choose the path of least resistance, and low anxiety, as much as I can.

But sometimes hard things need our attention.  Sometimes obstacles need to be dealt with, not just set aside for another day.  So I've encouraged him to look back in his book, to remind himself of the necessary steps, or to come and ask me (or his sister) for help.  Still, when the time comes, he tends to forget.

Today, however, he remembered.  He just popped out of his room long enough to double-check the method for a particular problem.  Then he was back in there to get it done.  

It got me to thinking how important it is to ask for help.  Sometimes we don't want to, because not knowing gives us an excuse to skip it.  Other times we don't want to acknowledge our vulnerability, or admit our lack of understanding. 

Sometimes the answer is as easy as it was for my boy today.  Just a quick reminder of what he already knew, and he was on his way.  Other times we need to be taught ~ or retaught ~ something.  And then we have to go through whatever effort is necessary to actually solve the problem, or deal with the obstacle. 

God is our very present help in difficulties.  Ask, and you shall receive.

~ "There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,

Who rides the heavens to help you,

and in His excellency on the clouds" ~

Deuteronomy 33:26

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