Open your eyes to the world around you

…not just your eyes, but your heart, your arms, and your pocket book!

Monday mornings on this blog, as I promised you in My 2010 Blog Posting Schedule, are dedicated to posting summaries of my Sunday Sermons. 
Yesterday, during the morning service, which we now call ‘Family Gathering’ I spoke on the subject of generosity.

The misfortunes of others should be an opportunity for us to show the love of God.

As I sat down on Saturday evening to put finishing touches to this sermon, my mind drifted to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Haiti.

Haiti

The Red Cross estimates 45,000 to 50,000 people were killed in Tuesday’s magnitude-7.0 earthquake in Haiti. While workers are burying some in mass graves, countless bodies remain unclaimed in the streets and the limbs of the dead protrude from crushed schools and homes. A third of Haiti’s 9 million people may be in need of aid.

In times like this, we need to remind ourselves that we live in an imperfect world.
We also need to remind ourselves that there’s more to this world than our personal needs.

In times like this, we must open our eyes, our hearts, our arms, and our pocket books, to the world around us.

Don’t blame the victims…
Rather show God’s love.

This is not a time to condemn or blame the victims. It is easy to say, “Hey, this is the judgment of God on so and so.” It is easy to say someone is going through hell because they sinned and so on…

But according to Jesus Christ, the misfortunes of others should be an opportunity for us to show the love of God.

Human suffering demands the demonstration of God’s love

John 9:1-7
¹As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. ²His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
³“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. ⁴As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. ⁵While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
⁶Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. ⁷“Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

Jesus saw a need, and rather than enter into a theological debate, He chose to meet that need. Such is the pure love of God.

We may not know all the answers as to why certain disasters and calamities occur, and while it may be beneficial for us to have those details, we can in the least do all we can in the moment to alleviate the sufferings of the afflicted.

Human suffering demands the demonstration of God’s love, not accusations and religious wrangling.

You may not be able to miraculously open a blind eye, but you can pray for the comfort of the afflicted.
You can encourage those who are giving time and efforts to help others.
You can donate some dollars too!

Loving Jesus

Jesus taught us that when we love the needy and suffering in His name, we are loving Him.

Matthew 25: 37 – 40
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? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
⁴⁰“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”

We need to open our hearts and our arms to the hungry, the naked, the shivering, little children, disabled people, sick people, afflicted people, and show them the love of Jesus. 
They many never repay you but their souls are worth it.
I believe that Jesus loves all men the same, regardless of the color of their skin, their religion, or the status of their bank account.

This is how to let our light shine before men, that they may give glory to God.

It’s time to begin to reach out in His name, in whatever ways that we can.

We can pray daily for the needs of others, and those who are sacrificing time and efforts to reach the worlds most desperate peoples.
We can write checks and send donations to help. 
We can give our own time and energy to help.

But Jesus wants to care, to demonstrate His love to an imperfect and suffering humanity.

Have a wonderful week!!