Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 11:5, Now behold, Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen, and he said, “What is the matter with the people that they weep?” So they related to him the words of the men of Jabesh.
King Saul, in hearing the people weep, immediately inquired. As a humble king, he had concern for the people he had now been given charge over. He could have very easily gone about his business and disregarded the people’s distress, but instead he chose to concern himself with the needs of the people. As born again Christians, we have two things in our everyday life that we must concern ourselves with, above all else. These two things are not original to me; they are original to Jesus. In Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ 40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” How do we respond to the needs of others? How do we respond when we learn that someone we know, whether a close friend or an acquaintance, is going through tough times? Do we ever stop and ask others how they are doing and really mean it, or is it something we just ask in passing with no genuine interest in how the person is really doing? The fact of the matter is that not everyone around us who is hurting is showing it. Some people hide their sorrows behind smiling masks and facades they have put on, or build, in order to camouflage the pain they harbor inside. We never stop to really consider that there are people around us who always seem to be in a good mood and smiling, but inside they are dying. If we do actually take the time to care enough to ask, my next question would be, “Are we ready to do something about it, if it is within our power to do so?” You see, it is not enough to just inquire and learn of another person’s need or pain. We must also be ready to allow God to use us to meet that need, if He so chooses to use us. Are we going to meet everyone’s needs that we encounter? Realistically, the answer is “no”. However, sometimes, all a person, our neighbor, is looking for is an “ear”, a word of encouragement, someone to just sit, listen, and even weep with them. Do we love God enough and our neighbor enough to take time out of our busy, self-absorbed, schedules to simply talk to someone? Are we willing to use whatever resources God has blessed us with to bless those He leads us to? Philippians 2:3-4 says, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” Galatians 6:9-10 also says, “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” 1 John 3:17-18 reminds us, “But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.” The funny thing about what Jesus said about loving God and loving our neighbor is that when we truly love God, we will do all we can to love our neighbor, and when we truly love our neighbor, we will demonstrate how much we love God. I will close this with Jesus very words about how He sees our deeds towards other in relation to our relationship to Him. In Matthew 25:34-40 Jesus said this about His return and how our deeds towards other will be judged, “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 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; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’”
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
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