Be Ready to Help Other People!
In all his writings, the late Dr. Sam Shoemaker often discussed some awesome practical truths. In one of his books he suggested that “it is a tremendous thing to realize that we may truly be the bridges between God and people.” How wonderful and true!
This, of course, is not limited to full-time Christian workers. It remains a primary task for any Christian eager to serve God through helping people. The challenge issued in Proverbs 3 is crystal clear: “Never walk away from someone who deserves help; your hand is God’s hand for that person.”
Help reaches others, and impacts them in varied ways and shapes: It may be through words we utter, by a healthy attitude we convey, or as the result of a concrete deed we display. It may positively affect a person instantly, or it may take a while to produce its legitimate effect.
Although not every problem we detect in others is of a spiritual nature, every solution we seek must always be guided by God’s revealed truth in Holy Scripture. Jay E. Adams goes as far as to affirm that “whenever well-meant help is not biblically directed, it does more harm than good. It amounts to bad advice, leading to harmful action.”
If help is requested of us, we need to determine first of all if it is the kind we can indeed provide, if we have the time it will take to offer it, if we are spiritually, emotionally, and physically fit to give it, and even if we actually want to help at all. WE should never forget that Jesus Himself often ran away from many who sought Him for aid. He chose carefully the situations or conditions He felt led to deal with among the people He came to serve.
Quite often a need is perceived by us long before the person facing it may desire to seek human help. We may choose to volunteer our aid, or just wait until it is asked of us. Many people, due to pride or anything else, prefer to suffer alone, and that is a decision we need to respect. Others may fear their privacy is invaded whenever somebody else does things for them - even helping in time of need.
When the aid needed enables a brother or sister to maximize his or her Christian experience, our intervention is always expedient. Large segments of the Christian population, anywhere, still do not know everything that is abundantly available to them in Christ. As someone put it, “One of the reasons so much unhappiness prevails in our culture isprecisely because so many people live lives unconnected to Christ.”
There may be times, however, when shaking the dust off our shoes may be necessary, as our offer of assistance is repeatedly declined. Thus, may we be wise in determining where our potential help can make the greatest difference in meeting human need with the resources God dispenses for us to share!
