Ever said this or heard it said after seeing pictures of, reading about, or returning from a mission trip? Thankfulness is good, but at what point are we neglecting the needs of people? Does the Bible call for us to be thankful for how much better we have it or to actually help if we can? Consider James’ admonition:
James 2: 14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (NKJV)
It is clear we are to respond to the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ (and others) with real tangible help when possible. I spent several years working at a homeless shelter where we provided food, shelter, clothing, Biblical counsel and educational opportunities for homeless men, women and children. It was right to provide opportunities for people to get off the street and tell them about the hope available in Christ. Many people had legitimate needs, but the reality is, based on my experience, that anyone who truly wanted help had multiple options available. There are exceptions of course as some avenues of help became less available to people if they showed little motivation to change. There also seems to be some people who are too unstable to function in the group settings of the shelters and may go from the streets to mental facilities or to jails on a regular rotation. The bottom line is it would not be too hard to excuse helping homeless folks here, because there are almost always resources available to help.
Isn’t it nice to know that the richest Christians in the world don’t have to worry about giving to help the naked, destitute and hungry! We could thank our increasingly socialistic society for relieving us of this job (if we actually think it is a good thing) or we could look a little further. Now that we have almost instant information on suffering people worldwide (Christians included) and many of them are truly destitute, we can’t take a pass on sharing our “blessings”.
Scripture is full of warnings that connect our willingness to help those in need with the validity of our faith. Jesus uses it as evidence of saving faith in the judgment described in Matt. 25:31-46. In Luke 18:18-23, a rich young ruler walks away without eternal life because he would not give away his wealth to the poor and follow Jesus. In 2 Cor. 8, Paul spends the entire chapter describing examples of and principles for giving including:
Cor. 8:13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; 14 but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality. 15 As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.” (NKJV)
Salvation is forever and always by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, but faith in Jesus changes things. All our excuses not to give when there is a real need and we really can help are eliminated by the reality that He saved us, owns everything and wants us to do these very kinds of things to His glory. God can always send us more stuff if we need it. He might even send it through the hand of an obedient follower who was given many resources not just to be thankful for them, but to bless others with them. If this is valid, we need to seriously consider how we can be used for the glory of Christ in a world which is now visible to us and full of real needs!
No comments:
Post a Comment