This is just a thought that I had, and it is not an attack on anyone else’s motives. It is just thinking out loud, or thinking via blog actually. I wonder about serving the “needy” and what my motives are. For someone to take their Christian faith to the next level we quite often see people getting involved in feeding the poor, giving clothing to those without, serving the sick; basically giving care to the less fortunate. Now before I go on, let me say these are good and noble causes. These are causes we are commanded to do in the bible. Quite often when people hit rock bottom, is when they are most receptive to the Savior. Taking part in these things allows us to show them the savior at their lowest moments. So I am not saying that we shouldn’t do these things, we most certainly should. I just wonder why I might be drawn to these more than other things.
I wonder if it is so appealing because it is like an extra feather in my hat.
“Hey man, wanna play a round of golf Saturday?”
“I would love to but I can’t. I am feeding the homeless Saturday?”
It just sounds great and feels great and should feel great. I’m not even talking about having impure motives. Even for all the right reasons I wonder why I am more drawn to serving that way than I am to sharing with a co-worker the life changing truths of Christ.
Here is why I started thinking this. Let’s look at 2 people.
1. Homeless Man who can carry all his belongings in one bag and doesn’t know God.
2. Co-Worker with a good job, great family, nice house, and doesn’t know God.
Where are they both headed regardless of their differences? Spiritually speaking, my co-worker is just as “needy” as the homeless man. The point of this was for me to remind myself to see everyone with Jesus’ eyes. He can look at a very diverse crowd and have compassion because he can see all their needs.
I want to see the needs of the people and give them Jesus. Our speaker at the Family Retreat last fall said something to this effect. “When Jesus made all of his ‘I Am’ statements in John, he was basically saying, I Am whatever you need me to be.” I want to give the “whatever you need me to be” Jesus to everyone I am around.
About Me
- David Willy
- I am a husband and a father and I pray that I will continue to look more like Christ to my wife and children each day. I pray that all that I do will be used to give glory to the Father and Christ through the Holy Spirit.
"To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some (1 Corinthians 9:20-22)."
ReplyDeleteThis is Jeff -
ReplyDeleteWe are all retched people apart from God. Rich, poor, whatever. We all fall infinitely short of God. And we are commanded to take the Gospel to the four corners of the earth and proclaim God to everyone great and small alike.
I believe that God lays on our hearts the work He has called us to do. Right now, Jessica and I strongly feel God pressing us to adopt and reach out to the needy in our community. So, those things are becoming our priority. That does not dismiss our duty to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our workplaces. There are still lost people (and very rich people)that I work with. I am not now exempt from sharing Jesus with my coworkers because my focus is now the orphan and the poor.
We cannot be everywhere at once. If God is using you in one particular area, He is more than able to use someone else in another.
Jeff
ReplyDeleteWithout a doubt I agree that God puts on our hearts certain ways he wants us to serve him. I just want to make sure that I am not overlooking other ways that I am also called to serve because one is more appealing than the other.
Yes if God is using me in one area, he can use someone else in another. He might be able to use me also in that area. I don't want to dismiss that.