I must confess. I fell short of the mark the other day. It is not something I am proud of in the least, but something I think I have learned a lesson from that I would like to share here.
I work 2nd shift, so I get out of work at midnight. After work I went to the 24 hour Wal-mart to pick up a couple items. When I was on my way back to the car with my groceries, this guy approaches me and starts calling me Jack. "I'm not Jack", I said. "No. No.", the man replied. He pointed at his van and said, "Jack?" I looked and his van had a flat. "Sorry, I don't have a jack." I plopped my groceries in the car and pulled away.
Ever since the Spirit has been gnawing at me. I think I do have jack. Why did I not dig through the trunk and help the guy out? It was the middle of the night and some stranger approaches in an empty parking lot? I was afraid my frozen items would thaw? What was I thinking? I don't even know. What I do know is this, that it was not the Christian thing to do.
We all know the familiar story of the good Samaritan. (Luke 10:25-37) The lesson of that story was that the man who was the neighbor was the one who helped. We are told to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:39). And to do unto others as we would have them do unto us (Luke 6:31) If they ask of us, we are to give it (Mathew 5:42). These are things as Christians we should be doing. I failed.
I know this too though, that if we confess our sins, the lord is faithful to forgive us of our transgressions. (1 John 1:9) I am forgiven for this transgression, but it was an eye opener that the spirit has used to teach me a lesson. It showed me a little bit about where I stand in my faith, and it is not where I want to be standing. I need to be more aware, and more willing. I can't say really why I did not help the man, but just the fact that I didn't bothers me.
Another thing to note here, it was the fact that I had spent time in the word that this recognition came about. It was the scriptures that was brought to my mind by the Holy Spirit that let me know that my actions were not in keeping with what a Christian should do. Had I not been studying, reading, or listening to the word, there might not have even been a recognition that what I did was wrong. I would have just gone about my business and not had a second thought about how selfish I had been. Thank God for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who can cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Thank God for the Holy Spirit who can, by the scriptures, renew our mind and conform us into the likeness of Christ.
I beg of you, fellow Christians, not to do as I have done. Do as Christ has taught us to do, love others, give to them that ask, meet the needs of others. We need to set self aside just as Christ set himself aside for us. The Master sets the example for the disciple. Don't let fear prevent you, for the Lord does not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a strong mind (2 Timothy 1:7)
I don't always act this way. I do help others, but this incident reminds me that I am not yet perfected in acting Christlike. I can't justify by saying that more often than not I help others. That doesn't cut it. We need to be open to be used of the Lord to meet anothers needs in whatever ways we have been blessed to do so. It is our imperfection in doing so that Christ died, to pay for our sin of selfishness. It is the reason we have been given the Holy spirit, to help guide us in the way we should go, and remind us when we do not go that way. It is the reason that we have the word of God, so that His ways can be stored in our minds for future use.
Proverbs 28:27
He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.
Don't hide your eyes to those in need.
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