We have all
heard the saying, “Talk is Cheap!” Truer
words have never been spoken. All we
have to do is turn on the TV, our computers or smartphones and we can see
evidence of people saying one thing and doing another.
Even the Word discourages us that we
shouldn’t merely offer words; but back them with our actions:
Little children, let
us stop just saying we love people; let us really love them, and show
it by our actions. Then we will know
for sure, by our actions, that we are on God’s side, and our consciences will
be clear, even when we stand before the Lord. 1 John 3:18-19 TLB
Yet, how
many of us have been guilty of this very thing?
On any given day, we hear people share a need with us and we’ll say, “I’ll
pray for you.” When more often than not,
in this age of excess we have the very thing that they need, but we don’t want
to part with it because of a ‘what-if-I-need-it-someday?’ mentality.
Have we ever
considered that the reason we are hearing about the need, is so that God can
work through us to meet the need?
We are the
hands and feet of the Body of Christ. I
have walked on this Earth for decades and I have yet to see money falling down
from Heaven. The only time I have found
in the Word that God rained down from Heaven something that would meet His
people’s needs was when manna rained down to
feed Israel in the wilderness.
Not to say that God wouldn’t do it again if He had to, but since we as
Believers are on this Earth, the LORD shouldn’t have to, He should be able to
work through us. I have personally been
on the receiving end when someone was faithful and obedient and met a need that
I had and it overwhelmed me and blessed me in ways I could not find words to
describe. Most importantly, it reminded
me that God saw and heard my cry and came to my rescue.
I encourage you
the next time you encounter a moment when a need is presented, search your
heart and ask yourself the question, ‘do I have what this person needs?’ If the answer is YES, then be quick to obey
and GIVE IT, trusting that when you have a need for it, Our Daddy God will be
faithful to provide it.
James
2:14-18 TLB also encourages in like manner with these words:
Dear brothers, what’s the use of saying
that you have faith and are Christians if you aren’t proving it by helping
others? Will that kind of faith save anyone? If you have
a friend who is in need of food and clothing, and you say to him, “Well,
good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat hearty,” and then don’t give him
clothes or food, what good does that do?
So you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. You must also do good to
prove that you have it. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good works is no
faith at all—it is dead and useless. But
someone may well argue, “You say the way
to God is by faith alone, plus nothing; well, I say that good works are
important too, for without good works you can’t prove whether you have faith or
not; but anyone can see that I have faith by the way I act.”
Wow, that
last line really leaps out at you; we show that we have faith in God by acting. When we are quick to obey and meet someone
else’s need, we are essentially saying to Our Daddy God that, ‘I trust that
when the time comes, you will provide for me as well.’ Relying on a full pantry, closet, garage, etc
is not living by faith; it is trusting in what you have stored up. The Word is
also has something to say about storing things up in Luke 12:22-33 NLT:
Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus
said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have
enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and
your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest
or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to
him than any birds! Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing
like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?
“Look at the lilies
and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all
his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers
that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care
for you. Why do you have so little faith?
“And don’t be
concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. These
things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father
already knows your needs. 31 Seek the Kingdom of God above all
else, and he will give you everything you need.
“So don’t be afraid,
little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.
“Sell your possessions
and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And
the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be
safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever
your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
Now, I am not saying it is wrong to have things;
we just have to check our heart and make sure our things don’t have US! The surest way to check that is to ask
ourselves the question, ‘am I willing to sow this into someone else’s’ life if
the opportunity presents itself?’ If the
answer isn’t YES, then my friend, your things have your heart and the only
thing or should I say person that should have your heart is the one who created
you and died for you. That’s right; He
did not withhold even His own life from us.
He gave it willingly because we had a need.
