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Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada. You know, when you have a disability, sometimes people don’t know how to approach you. Some children see my wheelchair and say, “Wow, that’s a cool motorcycle,” But others are afraid to say anything. And it’s not just children – some adults aren’t quite sure if it’s “okay” to shake my hand. So, what do you do? Well, there’s a wonderful verse in the book of James which says, “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you” and from it, we can draw a helpful principle. Because if you draw near to a person with a disability, they will draw near to you. Whether you strike up a conversation, offer to shake hands, or just touch the arm rest of the wheelchair – the neat thing is, you are closing the gap; you are shortening the distance, you’re drawing near. And that is all you need to remember. Yep, drawing near – whether it’s to God or to another person, it’s the right thing to do.
© Joni and Friends