Are You Doing What is Right

Luke 3:10-11 (NIV)

10 “What should we do then?” the crowd asked. 11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”

In 1939 when the Nazis invaded Poland, Wladyslaw Szpilman was a celebrated pianist and a composer of both classical and popular music performing on Warsaw radio. During the next six years he was unable to perform and the Oscar winning film "The Pianist" describes Wladyslaw time during the war.

At first he lived in the Warsaw ghetto, and as he was about to be shipped off to a concentration camp, one of his guards recognized him and helped him escape certain death. For the remaining part of the war, he hid among the ruins of Warsaw.

One day, he happened across an abandoned home where there was a piano. A German Officer, Wilm Hosenfeld, spotted Wlayslaw and asked him what he did for a living. Wladyslaw replied he was a pianist and then the starved pianist played Chopin's C Sharp minor Nocturne on the out-of-tune piano.

For the next few months, Wilm brought smuggled food to the emaciated musician. Then at their last meeting before the Russians entered Warsaw, Welm handed the pianist two large packages of food. "I don't know how to thank you," said Szpilman.

"Thank God, not me. He wants us to survive. That's what we have to believe" said Welm. He then looked at Wladyslaw, who was wearing rags for clothing. "Here, take this," he says, and offered his expensive military dress coat to Wladyslaw.

"No, don't you need it?" replied Wladyslaw.

"I've got another, a warmer one," responds Welm. Wladyslaw survived the war and lived until July 6, 2000.

Living a righteous life starts with doing what is right.

Dear Lord, we pray that we would have a sensitive heart to those in need around us. Help us be willing to give what we have to fill the needs of others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.