Help
So, we are nearing the end of the journey through Romans, and today’s sections from Romans 15 ties in extremely well with the Hillsongs movie we went to see last night. Even though we only saw the first half due to problems with the projector, the theme of all people being created equally and how we can help those around us already sinked in deeply into my heart.
Romans 15:1-2 (The Message)
Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?”
Reading these verses I am again challenged to really go out and make a difference to people’s lives out there that need to see that Jesus still cares. For the people that have nothing to eat and have no clean water, and are at the brink of giving up.
If we read the next section from Romans 15 it tells us what Jesus did. We tend to forget that Jesus worked in the slums of the times. He would seldom be in a position to be lavished with riches. He really got in the trenches and cared for the people that needed it.
Romans 15:3
That’s exactly what Jesus did. He didn’t make it easy for himself by avoiding people’s troubles, but waded right in and helped out. “I took on the troubles of the troubled,” is the way Scripture puts it.
Now, why would we as Christ followers avoid doing exactly this? We tend to look the other way, when a homeless person asks for something at a traffic light. We try do get something to do so we do not have to look at them.
Yes, I am guilty of it as well…
Why don’t we rather just at the very least give the person a smile, and a polite sorry, I don’t have anything to give you today. Or give them a bottle of water, or a word of encouragement?
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