Things got so bad I stopped answering the front door. But it didn’t work. They went to the back door. We couldn’t even sit in our back yard without people walking around shouting “Is anyone home?” I started classifying them by how they looked, what they wore and what type of vehicle they drove. Some we helped; others we didn’t. A few had legitimate needs; many were scamming us. Unknowingly I erected barriers to the church’s benevolence.
Jesus encountered one who destroyed barriers to benevolence. Since he was a Roman, he was hated by the Jews because he represented the foreign power that ruled over them. In spite of their ill feelings toward him, he responded with kindness. When one of his slaves became ill and was near death, he sent some respected Jewish leaders to ask for Jesus’ help. This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue (Luke 7:4-5).
Pride, prejudice, unconcern, personal lack and selfishness are potential barriers to benevolence. We’re all on level ground before God, and what I don’t have isn’t an excuse for refusing to share a little of what I do have. God owns all I possess and loans it to me for temporary use.
While God expects me to be a good steward of my money and possessions, he never expects me to erect barriers that keep me from helping others and sharing his love in the process. What barriers do you need to destroy?
Prayer: Merciful Lord, when we’re tempted to focus on us, turn our eyes and hearts toward benevolence to others.
For 2 years, my husband was the business and outreach manager for a large church in Colorado. It's amazing how many people come to a church asking for money, isn't it? And some were obvious--demanding and feeling entitled, telling you they didn't want to hear about God. But most were harder to figure out. Was he refusing the genuine need or the scammer?
ReplyDeleteWe encounter the same thing on our regular ministry trips to Budapest with the street beggars. We give when we feel God's leading, but we're not perfect "receivers" of God's guidance, so we still may not be giving to the right people at times.
But you're so right...we can't pre-judge them by their outward appearance even though it's just an easy thing to do.
Good devotion.