Relationships

One Question

There are lots of reasons that we may think about doing good to someone else:

  • They’ve done something kind for us.
  • We like them and want to show them our affection.
  • We are hoping that if we do something good for them now, they will do something good for us later.
  • We feel sorry for them.
  • And the list could go on and on…..

Scripture however, gives us one question to ask when it comes to doing good to someone else:

Do we have the opportunity? 

Galatians 6:10 states it pretty succinctly:

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

It can seem like a unnecessarily broad standard. After all, most of us have plenty of opportunities to do good to someone and we let many of them pass us by. If we were to pursue every opportunity, we may wonder whether we would have any time, resources or energy left. However, we must consider this – as we take advantage of opportunities to do good, this will by necessity reduce the number of other opportunities we are able to pursue. God doesn’t say we have to do everything – but if we can do it – we should. Especially if the person (of people) benefitting are part of His family.

Most of us are masters at justifying the reasons we shouldn’t do something for another person. We are worried about the cost, we doubt whether they will appreciate it, we wonder whether we will have the wherewithal to keep up the pace. God provides us a simple standard to consider. And if we have the opportunity to do good, we should.

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Purpose Relationships

The Importance of Going After

©iStockphoto.com/kevinruss

As we get older, we often shake our heads at the ignorance of our youth and wonder why we were so insular in our younger days. However, despite this awareness it is tempting to behave in a similar fashion, even in church. We stick with what, or more specifically who, we know.  Often we rarely venture outside of this “inner circle” in order to bring anyone else in.

Barnabas, known as an encourager, shows us a different approach. In Acts 9, Paul has recently become a follower of Christ. As he previously was a stalwart persecutor of the Church, the disciples are, perhaps understandably, wary of him. Barnabas, however, went and brought Paul to them, sharing with the disciples the story of Paul’s conversion. Later, in Acts 11, he goes purposefully looking for Paul in order to bring him to Antioch and ministers alongside him. It was during this course of ministry, that the word “Christians” was first used to delineate those who followed Christ.

It’s interesting to think about what could have happened had Barnabas never ventured outside of his “normal” crowd. His willingness to obey even beyond perhaps what was “comfortable” and “convenient” was instrumental in building the foundation of Paul’s future ministry. It was because he was willing to go after Paul, that Paul became a powerful instrument in the pursuit of others for Christ’s Kingdom.

And who knows, if we’re willing to leave the comfort of our crowd in order to go after someone for the sake of Christ and His Church, maybe God will use our obedience to accomplish something powerful as well.

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