January 27, 2016

Sow Kindness

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. -- Galatians 6:9

There’s a scene in the movie War Room where one man stops and changes the tire on another car. Simple enough. Except, not really. Earlier in the movie the man with the flat tire and had hatefully argued that the other man should be prosecuted for his wrongs. And the other man, well, he had turned his life around and recommitted himself to God.

So he did the right thing.

It shocked the man with the flat tire. Maybe it even touched his hard heart. He wasn’t used to somebody doing something good, somebody he’d condemned, somebody who wasn’t going to benefit from the good deed.

We’re a little like that, aren’t we? We always look for the ulterior motive. We justify our own lack of kindness with the excuse that nobody would do it for us. Somehow we think that makes it alright. It doesn’t.

As God’s people, we’re to do good where we can, anyway that we can. Not because we expect to get anything out of it. Not because we think the other person deserves it. Not because it’s convenient or we’ll look good or we feel like it. We’re to do good because it is what He has called us to do.

We grow weary sometimes. We are condemned. Criticized. Judged. And yet we are to do good anyway.

The man in the movie did something wrong. He did. He admitted it -- belatedly I might add. But he admitted what he had done even though he knew that jail was a possibility. He did what was right. Fortunately, another man offered him grace that could only come from God.

Do good. Treat others as you want to be treated. Sow kindness. Lend a helping hand. Live your life so that others see Jesus in you.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Jesus Told Us To Serve Others

After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because it is true. And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.” -- John 13:12-15

At least once each month I make a series of calls to various people in the church. They are folks who for one reason or another might need some help. Some are older. Some are sick. Some are alone. Some are caregivers. All different reasons but the need is there.

Some people are grateful for the offer but few actually accept help -- at first. It’s as though they can’t believe that strangers -- even strangers who are part of their church -- would actually come and help them. Sadly, we no longer think of Christians as those who serve others.

As time passes, I can see their hearts change. And then, reluctantly, they make a request. I arrange for someone to come and do what they need, with a smile. They are shocked. And happy. Not so much because the task got done but because someone actually cared about them.

Please understand these tasks are rarely glorious. There’s nothing fun about pulling weeds or trimming hedges or putting eye drops in someone’s eyes. But the blessing comes in the doing. Because it is such a joy to do good for others.

Perhaps it’s because we’re doing what Jesus told us to do. There was nothing glamorous about Jesus washing the dirty feet of the disciples. But He did it to show us all that following Him means doing good to others. That’s not real popular in this “me” world we live in.

Maybe that’s why service isn’t something people expect anymore. Oh, we’ll do the big outreach day every now and then. But when it comes to the day-to-day service, God’s people just aren’t known for showing up.

There are exceptions of course. Some denominations really put effort and training into disaster response teams. Others have regular outreach programs. But most focus on themselves and the people in their group. They care for church leaders and longtime members -- sometimes -- but the average church member is really still alone. That is just so sad.

Jesus told us to serve others. He didn’t qualify it with “if we feel like it” or “if it’s convenient” or even if we like the person. He said to serve. Why don’t we?