Wow Carrie. That is great. Thanks for sharing.

Great post Michael.

I was recently having a conversation about this. It was to do with the Emerging Church and how we can learn much from them. I couldn’t believe it! I was defending the movement! But my position was that one of the beneficial things of the EC movement is they are at least focusing on “living it out” in helping the poor, the hungry, the diseased etc. While the physical needs are not our primary focus (we must be focused on their spiritual state so amen there Taffy) we do need to be cautious and not forget or better stated neglect our command to help people in need.

Ever since I went through the Humanity & Sin class there has been a weight on me about what I can do to help. I mean it’s just ironic because back when I wasn’t living my life for the Lord (even though I belonged to Him) I was so much more active with social issues. I wrote letters for Amnesty International, I worked for Greenpeace, I wrote letters to my congressmen to encourage them to vote on certain bills etc. But now? Nothing.

Your blog has finally lit the fire beneath me.

I just got off the phone with the wife of one of our pastors and told her of an idea I have about making sack lunches and taking them to Little Five Points (an area in Atlanta where there are many homeless people) and then handing them out to people and telling them about the Lord. It will be a great witnessing opportunity. We can go up to them, give them food, and then tell them why. “Because our Lord commanded us to feed you. Now let me tell you about Him.”

It may seem kitschy, but it is something and it is high time I do something.

So, thank you Michael for reminding us of what we are to be doing as believers.

Bill, I think you may be on with the Phil passage. “Whether in pretense or in truth, so long as Christ is proclaimed, we will rejoice.” In this case, the mercy of Christ is seen.

Michael,

Wow. This is something I too have thought a lot about.

First, a question for you – do you think that the message of Phil. 1:18 is in some way applicable here? I don’t want to try and create a parallel with this passage if it is not there, but it certainly seems to me like Paul is more concerned with God’s purposes being accomplished rather than who God chooses to accomplish it through or what their motivations are. Paul just rejoices that God is glorified, and I think that this is a good example of how we should be.

On a side note, one of the hardest situations for me is when someone does something great, and then I hear some mention of “good karma”. That seems to be the line I hear more and more. It always tends to make me think that the person is expecting something back in return for their good deeds. This reminds me to pause and question my own motivations when I do good works. Am I expecting a reward for what I am doing here or am I doing it because I love Christ and am eternally indebted to Him? (just as I must eternally forgive others) If I give money to a missionary or organization and then those people wrong me, will I regret having given them money? If my good work did not earn me a single additional blessing on earth or in Heaven, would I still do it out of selfless love for God and others or would I be disappointed?

Take care,
Bill

Amen Taffy. This is something that I have rebelled against for some time. Giving waer to the stranger was the last thing that I wanted to do. I think I used it as an excuse, in a sinful way, to selfishly keep my mammon to myself. But how are we to witness to someone who is starving when we have the means to help their condition? Good word my friend.

Michael,

I think the name of the show says it all: American IDOL. Now I do believe that all 5 options do apply in one way or another. Although I must say I have been recently influenced on a three part sermon I did on the topic of love in Scripture influenced by our Humanity & Sin class. First part was our love to God and God’s love to us; part 2 was the love of one another and love of our neighbour and part 3 was whether self love is biblical which concluded that self love in Scripture is revealed in self-sacrificial love. This was done from a biblical perspective with a comparison of the way of the world (non-Christian context) as well.

The Lord does a great job of revealing the way of the world in Mark 10:35-45 when the John and James ask for thrones. The one difference that readily comes to mind is that before I believed in God I was, in my mind, “doing good” and had no need of God which all around me confirmed that we can do good without the need of God in the middle of it. The Muslim faith, the Hindu faith and many other non-Christian faiths believe that man is essentially good and our prime directive (Star Trek talk) is to do good to those all around us and we will receive favour in the sight of God and even blessings here on earth.

But really when the tally is run up all we were doing (in my unsaved state) was earning favour among men. Even atheists would follow the same path as non-Christians in that they would do good to receive favour back from men whether consciously or subconsciously.

That is why we tell others that the Christian life is not to find favour with God in temporal blessings because many Christians do and have suffered greatly for the faith which most of us in the Western world have no clue about.

I do believe that non-Christians can be sincere in their doing good like American Idol but ultimately the purpose behind it maybe the biblical example of the the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11:4 “let us make a name for ourselves”.

Michael, I do agree though that the Church could learn from these secular examples of charity. One Christian wrote that all the wealth of the Church could sink all the navies of the world combined. Let’s give a cold cup of water and then tell them about Jesus.

Thanks David. I agree. I know many people who shame me when it comes to acts of benevolence, but they don’t know the Lord.

I agree with your point number 5. In my own circle of friends, I know those who are loving, caring, willing to give others the shirt off their back – but also refuse to acknowledge that they need God.

Nice commentary!