Meeting the Need

I have been doing a lot of reflecting lately...I feel that God has been opening up areas in my life that I need to work on...but the frustrating thing is that there is so much I don't even know how to begin. Maybe God is just preparing my heart for a new opportunity that will be coming my way soon???

Here is one area that has been on my mind:

In Sunday School we have been talking about the passage in the Bible (Matthew 5:38-42) that talks about turning the other cheek, going the extra mile, and giving to all that ask. Specifically we have been talking about whether or not we should give if our giving is enabling an "evil person".

I feel pretty strongly that we should give willingly, without question - only not our money (necessarily). Not just because of verse 42 which says to give to all who ask (Christian or non-Christian), but also because of the verses that immediately follow the passage above...Matthew 5:43-48. It says that we are to LOVE our enemies!!

How much more should we love our "neighbors"...and what better way to share the message of what Jesus has done for us?!? Instead, so many Christians sit quietly in our pews, living our own life, making sure we are good little Christians, maybe volunteering our time at the mission downtown or throwing in a little extra money in the offering plate beyond what we normally tithe - and as long as we are praying and reading our Bible, doing all the "right" things, and coming to church every week, we are OK.

I think if we want to know "what would Jesus do", we would look at what he did...he served the people, loved the people, and gave of himself (even to death!) to meet their need. But in order to truly meet someone's need, you have to know and love them...which can be hard, because you can be hurt, or taken advantage of (Christ himself was not exempt - even to death!!) - and it takes TIME (something our culture seems to push out of our lives unless we fight it).

To take an obvious example that has been used before, instead of throwing money at a homeless person, give them a meal. As for people we encounter every day, it might be buying someone a nice outfit so that they can interview for a job, secretly paying their rent, going to the grocery store and buying food to give to a family in need, filling someone's car up with gas. But more than that, I think it is important to teach the person how to eventually meet the need on their own if possible - and to invest in their lives so that they can see the love of Jesus - because WE ARE HIS HANDS AND FEET!

In our discussion on Sunday, I gave the example of my kids - I have to invest in them and love them - and the product is that almost all the time I know their need before they even ask (which is a good thing since they are pretty helpless at this stage! :) ). It is hard and it is frustrating, but it has forced me to be so much less self-focused and more sacrificial of my own wants and desires - but I do it because I love them. And over time, I will teach them to be responsible, independent adults (I hope!!).

But some of you maybe be thinking - what about the people that "play the system", or what about the verse that basically says "if you don't work, you don't eat" (2 Thessalonians 3:10)? I came to the conclusion that someday when we all get to heaven and stand before God for us to give account of what we have done or not done, He will probably NOT say "Why did you help that woman and pay her rent for her? She kept buying lottery tickets instead of paying her rent!". I think God is going to judge that woman for what she had been given and wasted. God is the judge of other people, not me. Now, He does tell us we need to judge those within the church (Titus 3:10, I Corinthians 5:9-11) in specific areas, but that is another topic in and of itself.

I definitely need to stress that it is not by our good works that we get to go to heaven...Ephesians 2:8-10 is very clear about that - and so many non-Christians (and Christians!) believe they get to Heaven if they are good people, which is also not true. So helping other people around me is not going ensure me a one way ticket to heaven.

And, don't misunderstand me, I think it is vital to have some sort of discipleship for those within the church, but how much more should we be reaching the people that do not even know about Jesus Christ? I just feel challenged that too often in the church we focus on the people inside and are missing the hurting people right next door that don't even know about the saving grace, forgiveness, and freedom that is found through our loving and compassionate God!!

Because THAT IS THE BIGGEST NEED ANYONE AROUND US COULD EVER HAVE, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR SOCIAL STATUS!!

The thing is, too often we look at people in need and think we are better than them...but we are not! We should never think of ourselves as "having it all together" - because who wants to be around people like that??? The difference is that as a Christian, I am free and forgiven and at peace...and THAT is what we should portray to other people...NOT that we have it all figured out. I think too many people do not want to even step foot in a church because of this!

This is so hard for me...because as an introvert, I WANT to stay in my pew and be a "good little Christian" and do all the "right" things - because it is COMFORTABLE. I want to act like I have it all together. I don't naturally want to talk to other people or meet others and share my faith. I want to only pay attention to the quote that basically says that I should share the message of salvation, and when necessary use words. But I have been challenged to think whether or not that really is good enough! How will people know unless I speak...and even more important ACT...what I believe in?!? How many non-Christians have I been interacting with and LOVING? How many have I been investing in so that maybe some day I can be vulnerable with them are share my faith? Hardly any!! In my "trying to have it all together" have I pushed people away, because I came across as arrogant or unapproachable?

I am guilty!!

Now the hard part...change...am I just going to think "wow, I need to do that!", or am I actually going to do it?

I have more issues that I feel God is teaching me, but those will have to wait for another time... :)