Do you remember the first time you saw someone begging? For me the first time that I remember seeing someone begging was when I was around twelve and my parents took me to Tiger Stadium in the mid-80’s. I remember it being so strange watching people pass by and no one helping, and then wondering what I could do. It felt pretty hopeless.
There are so many times in life that we deal with people’s needs. The love of Jesus urges us to meet those needs. We know that God created each person and he provides for them as a loving Father. We also know that Jesus willingly gave His life to redeem mankind. Jesus had compassion on us, and He met us in our greatest need. How could we then ignore our brother or sister’s need?
As Christians we should be involved with social justice issues. We should care about poverty, racial relations, and all forms of injustice. We should be involved with health issues like providing medical care for people who truly cannot afford it, nutrition programs to feed the hungry and life issues, speaking up for the unborn and the dying. We should do things to make this world a better place. The love of Christ compels us!
However, we must also remember that we are Jesus’ witnesses. At the end of verse 15, Peter, once again claimed that position, and yanked the focus away from the fact that a man who had been lame from birth had been healed, and turned everyone’s attention to Jesus who died and rose again. He called the people gathered there to repent of their sins.
I need to say this carefully. The problem with focusing on making this world a better place is that this world will end. Then, what will happen to the people we helped if we did not share the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection with them? We are not called to make the world a better place. Making the world a better place is a side affect of bringing salvation into people’s lives.
Did I say, “Don’t make the world a better place?” No! The love of Christ compels us to meet people’s needs. But remember that the greatest need every person has is forgiveness of sins which is only received through faith in Jesus. We are the only people in the world who can meet that need.
As God’s people we are called to love all people, to do good, to help, protect, and care for others. That’s a lot. We are also called to be witnesses regarding the power of Jesus’ death and resurrection to give eternal life. It’s a both/and situation. We must not neglect either. If we only care for people’s physical, psychological or emotional needs we will not address the root cause of those problems. If we decide only to tell people about Jesus’ death and resurrection to atone for sins our testimony is loveless because we’ve ignored the need they know they have.
God’s love is big. It meets us in this life and gives us life to live forever. That’s the love we get to share with people. “Silver and gold I have none, but what I have I will give . . .” Love them for Jesus’ sake.
Father in Heaven, help me love others as you have loved me, meeting their earthly needs and extending your forgiveness and salvation through Jesus to them. Amen.
There are so many times in life that we deal with people’s needs. The love of Jesus urges us to meet those needs. We know that God created each person and he provides for them as a loving Father. We also know that Jesus willingly gave His life to redeem mankind. Jesus had compassion on us, and He met us in our greatest need. How could we then ignore our brother or sister’s need?
As Christians we should be involved with social justice issues. We should care about poverty, racial relations, and all forms of injustice. We should be involved with health issues like providing medical care for people who truly cannot afford it, nutrition programs to feed the hungry and life issues, speaking up for the unborn and the dying. We should do things to make this world a better place. The love of Christ compels us!
However, we must also remember that we are Jesus’ witnesses. At the end of verse 15, Peter, once again claimed that position, and yanked the focus away from the fact that a man who had been lame from birth had been healed, and turned everyone’s attention to Jesus who died and rose again. He called the people gathered there to repent of their sins.
I need to say this carefully. The problem with focusing on making this world a better place is that this world will end. Then, what will happen to the people we helped if we did not share the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection with them? We are not called to make the world a better place. Making the world a better place is a side affect of bringing salvation into people’s lives.
Did I say, “Don’t make the world a better place?” No! The love of Christ compels us to meet people’s needs. But remember that the greatest need every person has is forgiveness of sins which is only received through faith in Jesus. We are the only people in the world who can meet that need.
As God’s people we are called to love all people, to do good, to help, protect, and care for others. That’s a lot. We are also called to be witnesses regarding the power of Jesus’ death and resurrection to give eternal life. It’s a both/and situation. We must not neglect either. If we only care for people’s physical, psychological or emotional needs we will not address the root cause of those problems. If we decide only to tell people about Jesus’ death and resurrection to atone for sins our testimony is loveless because we’ve ignored the need they know they have.
God’s love is big. It meets us in this life and gives us life to live forever. That’s the love we get to share with people. “Silver and gold I have none, but what I have I will give . . .” Love them for Jesus’ sake.
Father in Heaven, help me love others as you have loved me, meeting their earthly needs and extending your forgiveness and salvation through Jesus to them. Amen.
Comments