“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” 1 John 3:17 NIV
Be honest, would you lay down your life for another person? We can easily read this and say, “Yes, I’d die for my fellow Christians”. But, the urge to save our own skin is pretty strong. Who can truly say in advance, “I’d die for my brothers and sisters”? But John doesn’t leave us to sit around speculating about what we might do if persecution hits. He brings it down to everyday living in today’s verse. Ouch! It’s easy to say that we would lay down our lives for fellow believers. But if we aren’t doing it inch by inch, in the little details of setting aside our selfishness to serve others, beginning at home, it is empty talk to say, “I’d die for my brothers and sisters in Christ”! Self-sacrifice is never convenient. It is always more of a struggle to meet someone’s needs than to ignore them. John’s point is the same as Jesus’ point in the parable of the Good Samaritan: We must not ignore others’ needs, but rather, sacrifice our time, energy, and money to help them out. This does not mean indiscriminately doling out money to those who are lazy or irresponsible. We need discernment and wisdom to know how best to help a needy person. But we also need to be careful not to excuse our indifference by labelling the other person as lazy or irresponsible. Love unites people through practical deeds of self-sacrifice.
PRAYER THOUGHT
Holy Spirit, teach me to be sensitive to the needs of others.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Holy Spirit, give us discernment and wisdom to know how best to help a person in need. Help us to be careful not to excuse our indifference by labelling the other person as lazy or irresponsible. AMEN
I.B.R.A. Readings
Galatians 3:23-29
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