I walked out on the deck this morning with a blueberry muffin and a cup of mocha flavored coffee. It is the second day of our extended family beach vacation and I find the sound of the waves to be very soothing. I noticed the lady staying in the condo next to us briskly walking back from her morning jaunt on the beach. She had a childlike look of excitement on her face.

She quickly ascended the stairs to our shared deck and wished me a good morning. I smiled back, but before I could return her greeting she proceeded to inform me of the exciting news that had taken place on the very stretch of beach we were all enjoying. My eyes followed to where her finger was pointing and then I saw the squared off section of beach in which she was referring.

A mother turtle had crawled up on the beach last night and buried her precious eggs in the sand. Unfortunately the nesting spot she had chosen was right between two beach chairs. A local turtle preservation team had carefully relocated her eggs to a safer stretch of sand and then had roped off the area so the eggs can peacefully hatch in about 60 days.

It is important to still keep the eggs relatively close to the water so that when it is time for the eggs to hatch the babies will be able to make their return voyage back to the ocean. The turtle preservation team had explained to the lady that they scour the beach at night to ensure they can see where the mother turtle is laying her eggs as most momma turtles don’t care whether they are on a busy part of the beach or not. Many times moving the eggs is absolutely necessary. Had the eggs not been moved, they would have been easily trampled on.

Peoples’ hearts are fragile much like those baby turtle eggs. I wonder how many souls we trample on never knowing they were even there. I come across them everyday. Women that look just like you and me. They are in our churches, they live next door, and many times we are unaware of their pain. We are oblivious to their needs. We do not see the hurt behind their smiles.

Jesus, while on this earth, daily searched for those in need. He wanted to heal the broken heart of the woman at the well. He understood the agony of the woman caught in adultery. He recognized the desperation of the woman who had touched the hem of His robe knowing she would be healed of her lengthy illness. He realized, that just like those fragile turtle eggs, unless He intervened these women’s lives would be destroyed.

We are called to be like Him. We need to pray and ask God to reveal to us those that may be suffering in our midst. We must not become so caught up in the busyness of our own lives that we become callous to the needs of those around us. When we someone struggling, we need to band together and create a protective barrier unwilling to sit back and watch their life be destroyed.

Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness, to pull another hand into the light.  ~Norman B. Rice