Glory Seed Devotional’s, 2017: Anticipating and Experiencing Jehovah-Jireh...
To support or not to support: A decision with eternal repercussions...
Shalom!
If you ever wondered how much you need to depend on the LORD consider this. “Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. “Take nothing for your journey,” he instructed them. “Don’t take a walking stick, a traveler’s bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes. Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town. And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”” (Luke 9:2–5, NLT, emphasis mine)
As always there is two sides to depending totally on the LORD. In this case it was the disciples who were the dependents, and it was the people of the towns who were the providers. When you really take to digest what Jesus was saying you’ll discover it gives more insight into the people of the towns and their fate than it does the disciples. I’ve always wondered when supporting a family member, friend, acquaintance, or even a foe how much is enough? And the answer always comes in the form of a question -- When did Jesus cut off His support for us? And we all know the answer to that -- He didn’t!
Does all that mean we give those we are supporting a “blank check” in the form of financial support, emotional support, physical support, or spiritual support? On the surface it might but on the other hand when it comes to eternal life something is required of us , “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.” (John 3:17–19, NLT, emphasis mine) And Paul adds this, “We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow. Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.”” (2 Thessalonians 3:9–10, NLT, emphasis mine)
While it is true as followers of Jesus we have the responsibility to support those in need on the other hand those in need have the responsibility of doing all they can to support themselves. I remember following hip replacement surgery a Physical Therapist scolding me for refusing to endure the pain associated with regaining mobility saying to me, “There are times when God helps those who can’t help themselves and there are also times when God helps those who can help themselves. This is one of those times when God’s help depends on you first helping yourself.” I have since taken that scolding into my daily life.
And King Solomon has this advice for us, “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them. If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say, “Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.”” (Proverbs 3:27–28, NLT) By the way I don’t think Solomon is telling us to give and give until we ourselves need others to support us.
“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”**
Grace and PEACE,
Gary
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“Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.”
**Hebrews 4:16, NLT
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