Sometimes Love Looks Like Shoveling Mud

• By candidasullivan
• August 21, 2026
• No Comments

I have been shoveling mud on my days off.

Yesterday morning I sat on my porch and waited for it to quit raining. I could have used the rain as an excuse today, or even the aching in my arm. And it would have been valid. But the force driving me to do it was greater than the one trying to stop me. So, I carried my shovel and got to work.

Let me back up a little and explain why I am shoveling mud.

A while back, I saw a truck almost wreck in the mud by my house. As the truck rounded the curve and hit the mud, it slid. Since there is a bluff on that side, it scared me. I also saw kids playing in it on their ATV’s. While all they could see was fun, I saw the rocks and steep terrain they were playing around.

I called the road department and explained the situation. I told them how mud had gathered on one side, making it hard to go through. Most people avoid the mud and drive on the wrong side. While that is fine, it goes directly into a curve. And the school bus goes through every day.

I expected them to send someone out to fix the problem or at least assess it. But as far as I know, that never happened. Every day as I drove by, it bothered me. I realized I had two choices. I could let it aggravate me and continue complaining about the problem, or I could buy a shovel and work on it myself.

Responsibility is our ability to respond.

I saw danger.

I reported it.

And then I worked to overcome it.

God has shown me so many things during these mud-shoveling moments. Sometimes love looks like shoveling mud. Sometimes serving others requires us to get our hands dirty and our arms aching. We can sit around and wait for others to do it and complain when they don’t, or we can follow our hearts and do it ourselves.

Sometimes, if God keeps putting something in front of me and burdening my heart about it, I need to stop asking why someone else isn’t doing something and ask Him what I can do.

The first day, I was overwhelmed and didn’t know where to start. As I cleaned out the clogged ditch, I prayed for someone to help me.

No one came.

But strength did.

With every shovel, I felt more capable of doing what needed to be done. Maybe sometimes God’s answer to “Send me help” isn’t another person. Sometimes He reminds us that He is there helping us.

When I made a way for the water to drain, it made me so happy. I smiled with genuine satisfaction as I watched the water run into the ditch. Sometimes we don’t realize what our small acts of obedience are accomplishing. We just keep moving one shovel of mud at a time. Then one day, something starts flowing that couldn’t flow before. God blesses our efforts.

I want to be the kind of person God and others can count on. I knew that if I refused to do anything about it and someone wrecked, I would be devastated.

Honestly, I have enjoyed the process. I debated whether to share this. Please know I am not looking for any praise. Or for anyone to think I am good. I am sharing it because it feels good to do good.

Hebrews 13:1 KJV

13 Let brotherly love continue.

That’s really the whole point. To show up with love and do what we can to help others. And to treat others the way we want to be treated.

Luke 6:31 KJV

31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

Can you imagine what our world would look like if we all showed up to help? If we opened our eyes to the needs around us and prayed for the wisdom to help. That’s who I want to be. I want to be ready and willing for each assignment from the Lord. And whatever He gives me to do, I want to do it with love. Knowing that if He puts it on my heart, it has a beautiful and great purpose.

Sweet friend, loving others isn’t always complicated.

Maybe sometimes we simply need to notice.

Notice the need.

Notice the person struggling.

Notice the thing God keeps bringing to our attention.

Then ask, “Lord, is there something You want me to do about this?”

We can’t fix everything. We’re not supposed to. But we can be willing to respond when God gives us an assignment.

Sometimes the assignment will be big.

And sometimes love will hand us a shovel.