Growing Faith and Works

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Deuteronomy 15:11     There will always by poor people in the land.  Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.

Proverbs 11:25     A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

Proverbs 19:17    Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward them for what they have done.

Proverbs 21:13     Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.      

Proverbs 22:9     The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.

Isaiah 1:17     Learn to do right; seek justice.  Defend the oppressed.  Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.   

Matthew 5:42     Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Luke 6:31     Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Romans 12:13     Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.  Practice hospitality.

Galatians 6:2, 10      Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. . . .  (10)   Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Philippians 2:4     ..not looking to your own interest but each of you to the interests of others.       

Hebrews 13:16     And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.    

James 2:14-17     What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?  Can such faith save them?  Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

1 Peter 4:10     Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

1 John 3:17     If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?

 

God wants us to become new creatures, casting out our evil, selfish, self -centered ways, and becoming loving and giving, eager to be serving others who need.  There are so many people who seem to be natural givers.  Mother Theresa, Carrie ten Bloom, and many others, including a couple within my own family.  I feel like a Cretan compared to them.  (And yes, I know I am not supposed to compare!) 

So many passages remind us to do for others; get up, off your duff and do.  He doesn’t want us just being mouthpieces, claiming we believe in Him and want to do right, and then largely doing NOTHING.  There are always folks worse off than you and you can lend a hand; certainly not necessarily money.  (In fact, I am abundantly blessed.)  But you can read to elderly persons who can no longer see well enough to, spend time in a library reading to a children’s group, maybe help a young student just learning and having a little problem with math or reading, or some other subject you are good at; you can volunteer to give a young mother a break by babysitting her children so she can go shopping or have an afternoon to herself, perhaps you can mow someone’s lawn, maybe you can make cupcakes when it’s a neighbor’s turn to bake them for her child’s class—and it is one more stress she does not need.  Perhaps you can volunteer to pick up groceries for an ill or elderly neighbor.  The point is, we all can help others, should help others, and not just see a need and walk past it; but actually do something to help.

I ask God to open my eyes to opportunities to help, and when I hear of a need, I try to act.  But I don’t actively seek those opportunities, and that is one area I would like to see change in my life.  There are so many things I could do if I knew of the need.  But I think I need to step out and find the needs.  

I know several from my church who routinely step out.  It’s perhaps time for me to hold onto their shirt-tails until I find the avenues to walk and serve.  If I can mention several areas of helping others, I ought to be able to find the persons who need those services.  

There are many different ways you can find opportunities.  You can check with your church—members may know of another member who is ill or needing help, the grocery store sometimes allows folks to put up cards with a request of help, deacons at church are also good resources, one can check at hospitals or you can look at local chapters of Meals on Wheels, elderly facilities such as memory care, nursing homes, and so forth.  You can volunteer at a local Salvation Army, Good Will, Food Bank, and so many more resources.  It might take some exploring through internet for local opportunities, but they are there.   I’ve decided I have sat back long enough waiting for opportunities to present themselves, but I need to step out and seek.

Thank You, Lord, for reminding me of people from my church for me to reach out and get information.  Take me out of my selfish ways to reach out.  It is so much better to give than to sit and wait…Thank You for all You have done to guide me, encourage me to grow, and to point out the areas I still need to ask the Holy Spirit for help in, and for ‘mybellaviews.’