How To Help

Knowing how to help is arguably the most important aspect of actually helping.  That’s why people’s first question is, “How can I help?” It’s a critical question because not all action is “help.” Thinking back to when my kids were small and they would “help” me make something – it usually ended up being more of a mess. A happy mess – but a mess nonetheless.

Real Helpers

Real helpers want to maximize their effectiveness because they care about the issue and want to contribute in a way that make the most impact. That doesn’t mean there is only one way to help. Actually, it’s quite the opposite. Knowing what you have to offer and finding out exactly what is needed is a great way to match your skills, talents, or resources with the best possible result.

Fake Helpers

That sounds so awful. I mean isn’t all help helpful? No. It’s not. Fake helpers don’t really care about the cause – they care about being seen or perceived as being a helper. So, how do you spot those people. It’s pretty easy. They are the ones who take helping jobs from others who are already doing them well. They disagree when told what they can do to help and instead do something which makes them visible to others.

Quiet Helpers

Quiet helpers are the unicorns of the helping world. These people adequately assess the situation, know their own skills, and fill empty holes using the resources they have without saying a word. These people often don’t need direction at all, but don’t mind it at all if given some. They do not mind doing something nobody sees. In fact, they often prefer it. Quiet helpers will take the job nobody else wants simply because it needs to be done.

The Most Important Rule Of Helping

What’s the most important rule of helping? Listening. The best helpers are good listeners. They are able to maximize results because they listen – not just to the main person organizing the helping, but to all the helper participants as well. Being a good listener allows helpers to identify potential problems, what to do next, or the how to help out other helpers.

Galatians 6:2: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”