| Blessing Believers |
|
| |
6:10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. It can be so easy to think of ways to show acts of great kindness to unbelievers so that we can create an opportunity to share Jesus with them. But here, we are actually told to do good ESPECIALLY to other believers.
It seems that we can get so caught up in the routine of our daily lives. Working full-time, paying the bills, caring for the family, mowing the lawn, doing the dishes, washing clothes, dusting, and on and on it goes. Church becomes another "burden" to our schedule. We can see it as another obligation we are committed to be a part of.
Have we lost the sense of our church being a family? In many churches, it is asking a lot for the people to see each other as friends, no less family. Our culture seems to promote our independence rather than helping us see how connected we are as the body of Christ.
We get caught up in the "what's in it for me?" Doing good to unbelievers means that YOU might get the witness to them. Going to church means that YOU might feel better when you leave. Blessing other believers may not bring you a direct result other than the joy of serving the Lord and ministering to a brother or sister in Christ - and isn't that the point, anyway?
Recently, a precious godly woman from our church went home to be with Jesus. She had been fighting cancer for several years. I went with another elder to see her one evening and it happened to be 24 hours before she left this world. On the way there, he asked what a pastor does in a moment like this. All I could say was, "Don't try to be profound and just be a friend." When we got there, she was curled up on a bed in the middle of the living room, in a coma-like state, and the sound of the "death rattle" was starting to become evident in her breathing. I guess we went more for the husband. He wept. We prayed together. As I drove home with the other elder, it was quiet in the car for several minutes - we both knew what the next day or so had in store. After a time, he turned and asked, "Do you like seeing people in a situation like this?" I had to admit that no, I did not. But then I told him that there are things we do - not because we "like" it or get anything out of it. We don't just do it because we are pastors or elders. We do it because we are a family.
Love your church family. They are precious. "But you don't know the problems at my church!" You're right, I don't. But I do know that they are family. Sometimes we can't sit back and think how blessed our church must be because we attend there. No. We are blessed to be a part of the family of God. Is it possible that the person at church who irritates you so much just might have something ging on in their life that could use your prayers? Maybe that person needs a friend. Maybe they just don't know how to ask for help. Maybe they are too proud to admit they are hurting, so they prefer to try and keep people at a distance.
Can we truly sing the chorus, "I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God...?" |
|
Follow this blog
