"The Rescuers"

Words of inspiration or counsel + literature or art reference = perfect personal meaningfulness, especially when the painting referenced is by my favorite artist!


life-boat and manby apparatus going off to a stranded vessel
J.M.W. Turner, 1831
This painting was referenced today in a talk by President Monson. He titled it "The Rescuers."

I've long had the personal opinion that it's wrong to "rescue" people. I feel like I am often the recipient of rescuing when I haven't done what I'm supposed to be doing. My husband is my hero, coming to my rescue when I need him. If I have a bad day he listens to me and helps me work things out, or throws in a load of laundry if that's what is needed. I don't even have to ask. He does it because he loves me! So my opinions about recuing make me hypocritical!

I feel like any time a person isn't doing what they're supposed to be doing and that person has consequences to deal with because of it, it's wrong to step in and take away that person's opportunity to learn from their mistakes by removing those consequences.

But what does it really mean to rescue? I'm not paraphrasing President Monson here, because he didn't issue a printed talk and I didn't record the broadcast. Today I am reminded that rescuing means coming to people and removing burdens that may stand in their way. It means standing by someone and sometimes even leading them by the hand to take better actions that will lead to better consequences in their lives. It means loving people

In my life I've been rescued. I've been stuck out in dark and stormy seas, feeling lost and lonely. Maybe I've prayed for help, or perhaps others have prayed for me, but I can say that people have stretched themselves, sacrificed themselves, to come and lead me back to shore, so to speak. I wish I never needed (still need) rescuing. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one needing rescuing and I am embarrassed. I also feel in those moments that I know better so I don't deserve it. I am so blessed that my Father in Heaven has compassion on me and so do other people.

How can I deny that compassion to others? I may reason to myself that they shouldn't have gotten themselves into that mess. How dare they enter the stormy seas of life? Perhaps it's even a repetitive mess that affects me personally? Maybe they need to be humbled so they can crawl back to church and stop making the same stupid mistakes, but now I realize it's not the attitude I need to have.

I felt especially humbled today because I've been expressing opinions about rescuing lately. I'll try not to have such a hard heart. When people I love, or need to love better, need rescuing, I want to be there. I won't hover and I won't swoop down in a helicopter rushing people to safety, but I'll work on being there, even if it's hard. Especially when it's hard.