Thursday, March 15, 2012

Live As Jesus Would

If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. -- 1 John 3:17-18

She died Friday morning, the day before a volunteer group planned to do yard work at her house. She was just so excited about it. Her face beamed as she spoke of her church family and the kindness coming her way.

The group showed up anyway. They did what was needed, whether it was pulling weeds or trimming shrubs. I’d like to think she was smiling down from heaven as she watched God’s people care for what she had loved.

Once upon a time she was able to do yard work herself. Then her son took over. He had back surgery and the yard was neglected. It seems that sometimes it takes all a person can do just to get through the basics of a day.

But someone noticed. That nice lady from church who stopped by at least once a week. She asked if a church group could help with her yard. The woman was thrilled. An answered prayer.

Isn’t that often how God works? He uses people to fulfill the prayers of others. We don’t often think of it that way. We don’t often think of ourselves as the answer to someone else’s prayers.

But we can be. We can open our eyes, our hearts, our hands and reach out to someone in need. We can listen for God’s voice. We can follow the nudge of the Holy Spirit. We can show the world what Jesus is like.

We always want to wait for the grand moment, the large contribution, the big event. But, really, we help others and show God’s love in the small moments of time. It’s providing transportation to the beauty shop for an elderly neighbor. It’s visiting with a lonely widower. It’s offering to baby sit so a frazzled young mother can have a few hours to herself. It’s kind words and smiles and encouragement.

It’s Jesus in the world. Because that’s what we are. As believers, we are called to live life as He would. Not as we would. That puts a different spin on things, doesn’t it? Yeah. It really isn’t about us. It’s about Him. And His love for us that we are to show to others.

So take a moment today to call someone you’ve been meaning to talk with. Smile when you might not feel like it. Spread kind words and encouragement. Throw a ball with a child. Laugh. Share. Reach out and embrace those around you -- all of them. Jesus would. So we should too.