When Am I My Brother's Keeper?

I have a tendency to try to help anyone who is in need who comes my way. The question, "am I my brother's keeper?" has recently begun to bother me. I can't help offering my help, especially at the beginning. Before long, now that I am older, I find that I am often in over my head and the person is suddenly dependent on whatever help I am giving. This puts me in a spot.

How do I get out of it? It is right, in God's eyes, to get out of it? Most importantly, how can I tell which situations I should get out of?

I believe strongly that we really are our brother's keeper. However, there are limits. God has already placed quite a few people on my life's path, folks who need a little piece of my time and effort. Some folks need little chunks of time and effort; others need a lot. In the midst of this, there is the problem of knowing which people need me most, which ones I love most, which deserve my help most.

Who am I to decide all of that? I am no one, but God is the all-knowing one, and so I really must turn these choices over to him. Instead of me worrying about whether, if I help John for an hour a day, will the help I give Mary suffer? Can John learn to do whatever-it-is on his own? Can Mary? I am going to take the easy way out. The easy way out is also the smartest. God has told us time and again to rely on him for strength. This is a great example of one of those times.

Dear God, show me, please, which of my brothers and sisters need me most, according to your will, not according to theirs or mine; I trust in you.