Tim’s Daily Devotional
It is Better to Give than Receive
December 2, 2012
Matthew 25:34-40, NIV
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
At The Well Church of Lewisville, we have been talking about the body of Christ demonstrating the love of Christ through acts of compassion. In our discussions, the question has come up, “What if someone does something generous and the receiver of the generosity squanders it away”?
This unfortunately does happen. Does that mean that we assume that all who are in need will take advantage? Does it mean that we should not help the needy?
When we encounter a person in need and the Holy Spirit grabs our attention to respond, we are to respond out of obedience and leave the results to God. We are simply called to be compassionate and obedient. The two go hand in hand. As Pastor Josh has pointed out, we should be diligent and not random in how we help others. We need to let the Holy Spirit guide us and simply be obedient when He calls us to respond.
Recently, the news captured a police officer buying an expensive pair of boots and giving them to a homeless man on a cold New York street. This story touched the hearts of many. Today, the media explained that Hillman, the man who received the boots, is without boots again. Hillman realized how much the boots were worth, so he hid them in order to spare being robbed or killed. Did the officer do the right thing? I would say yes. If he felt called to do this, then he did what every Christian should do. His reward is in heaven as Jesus has stated many times.
Jesus tells us we are to clothe those in need of clothes and to feed those in need of food. He says in doing so, it is the same as doing these humanitarian acts for Christ himself. God is the final judge. The police officer had compassion for a man in need. Whether or not the man in need used the boots as intended or not, the Lord will use this situation for His purposes.
Hillman’s brother Kirk explained that his Hillman has been given options, but chooses the life style he is in. Regardless as to whether Hillman chooses to be shoeless on a cold New York street or not, if God prompts you to do what the police officer did, we are to be obedient in our compassion toward God’s creation and show His love. Let’s leave the rest to Christ and know that we did the right thing.
The story can be read at http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/nypd-homeless-man-boots-tillman-134758145.html.
May you be a blessing to others this Christmas season. May the Lord lead you to acts of kindness as His ambassador. May the love of the Lord be seen through you and may his grace fall upon you and all you do.
Be blessed in all you do!
Your brother in Christ,
Tim
Tim Vanderwater
Pastor
The Well Church of Lewisville
It is Better to Give than Receive
December 2, 2012
Matthew 25:34-40, NIV
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
At The Well Church of Lewisville, we have been talking about the body of Christ demonstrating the love of Christ through acts of compassion. In our discussions, the question has come up, “What if someone does something generous and the receiver of the generosity squanders it away”?
This unfortunately does happen. Does that mean that we assume that all who are in need will take advantage? Does it mean that we should not help the needy?
When we encounter a person in need and the Holy Spirit grabs our attention to respond, we are to respond out of obedience and leave the results to God. We are simply called to be compassionate and obedient. The two go hand in hand. As Pastor Josh has pointed out, we should be diligent and not random in how we help others. We need to let the Holy Spirit guide us and simply be obedient when He calls us to respond.
Recently, the news captured a police officer buying an expensive pair of boots and giving them to a homeless man on a cold New York street. This story touched the hearts of many. Today, the media explained that Hillman, the man who received the boots, is without boots again. Hillman realized how much the boots were worth, so he hid them in order to spare being robbed or killed. Did the officer do the right thing? I would say yes. If he felt called to do this, then he did what every Christian should do. His reward is in heaven as Jesus has stated many times.
Jesus tells us we are to clothe those in need of clothes and to feed those in need of food. He says in doing so, it is the same as doing these humanitarian acts for Christ himself. God is the final judge. The police officer had compassion for a man in need. Whether or not the man in need used the boots as intended or not, the Lord will use this situation for His purposes.
Hillman’s brother Kirk explained that his Hillman has been given options, but chooses the life style he is in. Regardless as to whether Hillman chooses to be shoeless on a cold New York street or not, if God prompts you to do what the police officer did, we are to be obedient in our compassion toward God’s creation and show His love. Let’s leave the rest to Christ and know that we did the right thing.
The story can be read at http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/nypd-homeless-man-boots-tillman-134758145.html.
May you be a blessing to others this Christmas season. May the Lord lead you to acts of kindness as His ambassador. May the love of the Lord be seen through you and may his grace fall upon you and all you do.
Be blessed in all you do!
Your brother in Christ,
Tim
Tim Vanderwater
Pastor
The Well Church of Lewisville
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