Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. (Hebrews 13:16 ESV)
The Word is filled with Scriptures informing us as Christian believers that we are our brother’s keeper. God wants us to be there for one another in times of crises, but expecting nothing in return. When we do the will of our Father in Heaven, He will reward us mightily, so do not expect man to do it because God has already given His word that He will. However, what we do for others must come from the heart and not be a showcase to boast about to man. God frowns upon such behavior because Jesus said in Matthew 6:1-2 (ESV), “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.” Therefore, in the words of the songwriter, “Whatever you do for the Master, let it be real.”
Let’s keep in mind that when we help others, most of them will know immediately if it is genuine or not. James 4:17 (ESV) declares, “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” Helping your fellow man should give you a good feeling because it is the will of God if you are in Christ. Further, do not complain about what you do for others because Galatians 6:9 (ESV) affirms, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Sometimes when we support our fellow man, it is not always going to be a one-time deed; it can be something that may have to be done for weeks, months, even years. If it becomes long-term, be sure that your prayer life is in order, because depending upon what it is that you need to do for your fellow man, you are going to need strength and comfort from the Lord to get you through. So, don’t complain; let it be real, and pray without ceasing.
When that day comes for each of us to stand before God to give an account of our deeds, there are some things that God will want to know about that we did in His name.
In closing my message for this week, I will share a few things for you to think about from this illustration, “Top 15 Things God Won’t Ask:”
God won’t ask what kind of car you drove, but will ask how many people you drove who didn’t have transportation.
God won’t ask how many material possessions you had, but will ask if they dictated your life.
God won’t ask how many promotions you received, but will ask how you promoted others.
God won’t ask what you did to help yourself, but will ask what you did to help others.
God won’t ask how many friends you had, but will ask how many people to whom you were a true friend.
God won’t ask what you did to protect your rights, but will ask what you did to protect the rights of others.
God won’t ask about the color of your skin, but will ask about the content of your character.
God won’t ask how many times your deeds matched your words, but will ask how many times they didn’t.
Have a wonderfully blessed week, be thankful in all circumstances, and never leave home without Him!
(Anna Bright is a minister and educator in Walterboro. She can be reached at abrightcolumn@lowcountry.com)
