Help Where Possible

Help Where Possible

1 Timothy 5: ³ Show respect for widows who really are all alone. ⁴ But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should learn first to carry out their religious duties toward their own family and in this way repay their parents and grandparents, because that is what pleases God. ⁵ A widow who is all alone, with no one to take care of her, has placed her hope in God and continues to pray and ask him for his help night and day. ⁶ But a widow who gives herself to pleasure has already died, even though she lives. ⁷ Give them these instructions, so that no one will find fault with them. ⁸ But if any do not take care of their relatives, especially the members of their own family, they have denied the faith and are worse than an unbeliever.

 

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My phone call list had grown longer and longer. Uncles and adopted fathers had passed away and all I could do was say hello every now and then. It felt overwhelming at times because life kept happening to me as well. But when I did call, it was a welcome conversation.

 

• I could not do more than reach out.
• When I finished the conversation, it did not seem like that much time had passed.
• This passage is a reminder to reach out to some people.

 

Paul speaks about taking care of widows. He tells Timothy that the primary responsibility is for the children and grandchildren to take care of widows. But those who are alone, help where possible. Paul gives a sharp rebuke to those who are not actively praying for or encouraging their family.

 

My Observations

• When GOD said “The harvest is plenty, but the laborers are few” I believe HE also includes service to widows.
• Widows have a special place in GOD’s heart.
• Reaching out to a widow may be all I can handle when life is happening to me.

 

It really does take a village. I mean, I can try to solve and resolve all of life’s issues faced by those who are alone, grieving and bereaved. But when I look at the ocean of need, I get overwhelmed. BUT GOD has a remedy. Take it in small steps.

 

GOD wants me to reach out to at least one person who is a widow to bring a smile to that person’s face. HE wants me to make room in my schedule to at least say “Hello.” If I can do more, then great, if not, then GOD understands. I am glad prayer, encouragement and honor can be given to those in need.

 

Challenge

• Who has what responsibilities according to the writer?
• Do you know a widow who could use a phone call from you today?
• Will you reach out to a widow to check in and see how she is doing and pray for those who you cannot reach out to today?

Mentor’s Role

Mentor’s Role

Acts 13: ⁴² As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. ⁴³ When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

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Excited about being asked to be a mentor, I went to a peer and asked, “What should I say?” I mean I had never mentored anyone before. Or at least I did not knowingly mentor anyone. He said “Pull them up, just like you are being pulled up.” I did this for a while but I learned a new twist.

• There were times when I thought I was higher than someone.
• There were times when I believed in levels.
• There were times when I compared my abilities to other people.

Paul and Barnabas finished speaking about JESUS to a group who had been attending church regularly. They were so intrigued, that they invited Paul and Barnabas to speak the next week. From that day, they became mentors.

• GOD wants me to point people upward.
• GOD wants me to grow people to believe in HIM.
• GOD wants me to take the focus off of me and place it on HIM.

The new twist I learned in mentoring was not to “pull someone up”, rather point “people upward.” GOD is the only One who is “up.” HE is the Most High. Encouraging people to follow HIM is the best mentoring I can ever do. I am grateful I can point people to the grace of GOD.

• Are you being followed by people?
• Do people take your advice?
• Will you provide people with encouragement to follow GOD and urge them to surrender their lives to JESUS today?

Okay Do That

Matthew 25: ³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

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“What will I say?”, “What shall I do?” were the questions that ran through my mind as I went out on my first mission’s trip. After riding for a long time I calmed down but when I got off the bus I felt a bit overwhelmed.  I mean there were people there who only possessed the clothes on their backs. I didn’t know what to do.

• Sometimes I get overwhelmed with the problems of the world.
• Sometimes I want someone else to handle the problem of poverty and loneliness.
• Sometimes I don’t want to know that someone else is hurting because I need a vacation.

Thinking about someone else who had more problems than me was the first hurdle. I mean I had enough problems to have a missionary sent to me. Besides, what was I supposed to “do” when I encountered this person? I was not a billionaire so I couldn’t house and feed everyone. “Maybe the rich should do this!” I thought brazenly to myself!

• JESUS says to me “Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for ME.”
• JESUS says to me “It does not matter what you do as long as you are serving those in need.”
• JESUS says to me “Start somewhere because anything you do for those in need, you do it for ME.”

I only had handshakes, hugs and prayers to give to the people. I sat with several and listened to them and prayed with them. We laughed a while and I encouraged a few. When I went back two years later I ran into one person who remembered me but I did not remember him.

“You encouraged me!” he said. “Now I am a pastor reaching out to others. I was excited and overwhelmed again as the words popped into my head “The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few.”

• Are you too overwhelmed with your own problems to help someone?
• Do you feel like you have nothing to offer someone because you too are broke, hurt and lonely?
• Can you ask GOD to be sent to the right person so you can encourage them today?