Proverbs 19:17
Mercy to the needy is a loan to God,
and God pays back those loans in full.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Johanna is a member of my church whose friend Peri is at the terminal stage of her fight with ovarian cancer. Peri has five children between the ages of 6 and 21. Her end-of-life goal is to leave a pictorial legacy for her children in the form of scrapbooks with narratives. So Johanna organized scrapbook parties at our church’s Fellowship Hall and asked those who could spare a little time to come and crop/glue photos into scrapbooks. Peri will then journal the stories behind these pictures for her children. There has already been one day of scrapbooking… and tomorrow, a group will gather for the second.
Most of the women who are helping with this have never met Peri. I would venture to say that they all know Johanna… but there may be a few who don’t really know her very well. And I am quite certain that many of the women who will gather have plenty of other things they could do with their Saturday. Most have children and families of their own. But they see a need…to lend some of their time to a sister in Christ and her dear friend. I have no doubt that their efforts and sacrifices will be repaid - with dividends.
Has someone ever given up something for you? I don’t necessarily mean a material possession… or money itself. Perhaps someone has dropped everything to help you with a project…or maybe they cancelled plans because you had a crisis and needed them. Has it ever occurred to you that any time a person gives of their time, energy, possessions or money… they could easily have spent this on someone or something else?
Think about it. The friend or relative who loaned you money to buy a new car could have spent those dollars on something for themselves… the person who knocks on your door when you are sick and says, “I brought you chicken soup” could easily use that time doing something for himself or another person. The friend who shows up at your loved one’s funeral or comes to visit you and support you while you grieve could be doing a myriad of other things with his/her time. Those who offer to keep your kids while you have a break… for an hour or two – or even a few days… could surely have used this time doing something else, if even sitting and watching a movie or reading a book! But YOU were chosen...your needs were important enough for someone to drop what they were doing… or reach into their pantry or pocket...and say, “Let me help you.”
This sounds like a simple thing, which is why we take so many kindnesses for granted. We fail to recognize the sacrifices others make on our behalf. We also may be unwilling to recognize the needs of others and meet them ourselves. In other words, we are often pretty selfish and ungrateful.
My challenge to you today is to ask God to show you what needs He wants you to meet…then do it! I’m not saying you have to loan someone money or make chicken soup, attend a funeral - or even help create scrapbooks for a dying mother to leave for her children. But I am quite certain that today – and every day – there is at least one way you can “help the needy”.
By the same token, I am asking you to take a long hard look at your daily living and note where – and how – others are meeting YOUR needs in Jesus’ name. Who is extending kindnesses, grace and mercy to you? Who is coming to your rescue when you experience difficulties? Who listens when you need a friendly ear? Who is taking time to let you know that you are important? Are you grateful? Are you “paying it forward” by sharing empathy and kindness with someone else? Do you at least say “Thank you!”?
Not every act of compassion will involve something as tangible as creating scrapbooks or making a sacrifice of some sort. But all are important and represent a “loan” to God… which He always repays. And honestly, it’s not about the restitution…it’s about the gratitude. Are you grateful enough for everything that God has given you to be a good steward of His gifts…both as a “lender” and a recipient? Isn’t it time you were?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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