First, I'll start with some quotes from those I spoke to recently about this person:
"I didn't know she needed help."
"I don't really know her."
"I was praying for God to send someone to her to help her. She needed so much help."
"When someone is taken advantage of, they remove themselves from a relationship with others, in fear of being taken advantage of again."
"She is not welcome here; our other customers are complaining about her."
"I don't know how to help her."
"I always saw her in the car. It looked like she was lonely."
And lastly, from the individual herself:
"I get a lot of dirty looks from my neighbors when they drive past."
"It seems the police are watching me all the time."
"I don't feel welcome here. In fact, I hate living in Pennsylvania."
The reason I share the above, is that when we feel uncomfortable reaching out to an individual, we come up with every excuse. I admit, I was uncomfortable at first reaching out, but it was the right thing to do. But, there is a much more important reason to reach out to those hurting around you - because God commanded us to. We may feel obligated to do the "good Christian thing." But God does not need us to feel obligated. But, we need to be thankful for what he has done for us, and to PASS IT ON.
Consider the following scriptures:
"We love because he first loved us." I John 4:19
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also...But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:19-21, 33
"Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." Matthew 16:24
"Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:25-28
"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’" Matthew 25:34-40
"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10
"In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." Philippians 2:5-7
"Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galations 6:2
And finally, my life verse:
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23-24
I've heard it said many times that God helps those who help themself. This couldn't be more untrue. After all, Romans 5:8 states, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." We have never done anything to help ourselves spiritually, but God sent His Son to die for us regardless. We turned our back on Him. We shamed Him. We mocked Him. We disobeyed Him. We ignored Him. We blasphemed Him. We denied Him, just like Peter. But, unlike us, God is still faithful. He is still merciful. He is full of grace. Jesus died for us despite ourselves.
So, the next time you think to yourself, I can't help someone because:
- I don't have time.
- I'm busy.
- I'm not qualified.
- I'm tired.
- I don't know how to help.
- They are getting what they deserve.
- It makes me feel uncomfortable.
- They might refuse my help.
- I'm afraid of what others might say.
- Someone else can do it.
In Luke 17:11-19, Jesus encounters 10 lepers:
"Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well."
I ask, did Jesus know only one leper would come back to him, thank God and worship him? Of course. But that did not mean Jesus was not going to heal all ten lepers. He healed them regardless, despite their ungratefulness. So, even this is not an excuse not to help someone in need.
Remember, when you put others first, you are obeying God. I admit, it felt good today hearing some neighbors say how nice the yard looks. Or that "I have a good heart." Or that I was an answer to prayer. Or that it was nice to sacrifice what little time I have to help someone else. But I pray that God does not allow me to take these things to heart.
In the end, don't fool yourself into thinking you're "all that". Don't just do it for yourself. Don't just do it so you receive praise from others. Don't do it for a reward, financially or otherwise. Philippians 2:3-4 says it this way: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." The rewards this world offers pass away. They don't last. They could be gone in an instant, letting you feel empty one again, looking for that next big thing you could do to feel better.
Instead, we need to look at it from God's perspective. We need to take a step back. We need to stop looking at others. Stop looking at the world. Stop looking at ourselves. We need to look up to God. Do it for God. Do it for Jesus. Do it for the Kingdom. After all, "We love because He first loved us." Why did I reach out to help: for the kingdom, no more, no less.
Ultimately, I have grown through the experience, seeing how this individual lived, and still felt satisfied; then comparing it to how I live, when sometimes I just can't seem to get enough. Just look and see how a simple gesture could mean so much. But don't just look and see from the outside; put your faith into action. After all, to God be the glory!
