Everyone needs a helping hand... Do you believe that's true? Why is it so easy sometimes to do for others but yet so difficult to receive??? I believe it has a lot to do with pride! If we're on the giving side then we can feel better about ourselves. BUT we miss out on the love and kindness that the Lord may be wanting for us to receive from others. I believe in order to be truly happy and healthy- we need both! We need to be able to give and receive! When I was younger, I had no other choice but to be in a position of having others "give" to me....so it really wasn't very difficult for me to accept and even still, I appreciate it!!! Now though, my husband and I are able to give to others and it FEELS so good!
I'll never forget, one time Dave called me and told me he had just been hit by a drunk driver. She ended up driving pretty far and finally stopped in a parking lot. Dave followed her and called the police, of course. He went up to see what was going on & found her with blood on her face and when she got out of the car, not only was she drunk-she was pregnant. The cops came and gave her a ticket, but then they left....they didn't even realize she was drunk.
Dave decided to call me because he didn't know what to do-he felt torn! He wanted to come home, but also wanted to make sure she was okay. When he called me and told me what had happened, immediately I wanted him to put her on the phone...I talked to her and she told me she was in a pretty bad dilemma. She was in a relationship with some bozo who didn't really care what she did. She also told me her Mom was an alcoholic, so she didn't really know any other way to live....My heart broke for this gal as I talked to her. I told her we forgave her and I asked her if I could pray with her- while I was praying, she broke down and cried her heart out....I remember afterwards telling her about my Mother. I told her if God could keep me from becoming an alcoholic-he could do it for her! I told her that we can rely on a God who doesn't change! I told her about His grace and mercy and that He did not want her to be living that way & that there was HOPE!!!
We tried to get her to go to a shelter for the night, but she would not agree! Dave hid out for a while because she told him she was gonna try to sober up, but finally he saw her take off again....Such a tragedy!
We got her address and sent her some cute clothes, diapers, and whatever else....but that's all we could do... I pray she will remember that experience and that the Lord will remind her of HIS love! People need LOVE!
I'm telling this story because it's TRUE! I'm also telling it to remind myself that it was about a year ago or so...There needs to be more stories like this one.....Are you praying for God to bring people into your life to minister to? He will! I know not every thing we do is HUGE like that, but as long as there is some sort of GIVING, that's what counts. And not just for "charity's" sake...
We have to share the purpose of why we're giving- because we've been given so much ourselves!!! There is no greater hope than salvation in Jesus Christ! It really will make others feel good if we are kind, but feeling good-isn't enough!!! They need to be changed by HIS love and everything that goes along with that! Maybe the reason you can't give, is because you feel you have nothing to give....I've been there before too! I realize now that nothing I do can "make" me in right standing with Jesus Christ! It's all because of HIS grace and mercy, I can come boldly into His presence.
We can't wait until we feel WORTHY enough to give. But if the reason you're not giving, is because you don't have enough time, or your just into "YOUR" family, or you are not wise with your money, so there's never anything left- I'm sorry- but those are pathetic reasons!!! As US citizens, we should always have something to give! If that's the mindset-then there will be something to give....If the mindset is confusion, fear, selfishness, etc ...or anything else that doesn't line up with God's word-then we need to get to know the LORD a little better, to know what we have in HIM!!! "IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING" Acts 17:28
I pray for all those who read this today, that you will ask God how you can be a GENUINE blessing to someone else-other than for yourself to feel good- BUT to see GOD move in a powerful way so THAT person can be changed by the power of God! OR for YOU to swallow your pride and be able to RECEIVE something from someone else that you may need!
Remember we were MADE 2 LOVE!!!!
