1 John 3:17 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?
Now this is a probing question by the text. Living in a large city, I can not walk through the city center without seeing at least one or two people slumped over on the sidewalk/pavement with a hat or cup in front of them. Some just sit staring, others call out to the passerbyes asking for spare change. Most people walk by without even acknowledging their existence, others may give a sad shake of their head or mutter ‘sorry’ as they hurry past. A few will stop and give a coin or two . How would you walk past? I generally find myself in the middle group, acknowledging their existence and need, but not willing to stop. Now, as I stated yesterday, there needs to be wisdom in how we show God’s love and it’s generally agreed that helping people in this kind of extreme need requires a lot more than giving them money (For more on this topic, check out When Helping Hurts by Brian Fikkert and Steve Corbett). The real needs are varied and take time and conversations to draw out. It’s understandable to be slow or reticent to make this type of personal investment and sacrifice for a stranger, but am I loving anyone in this way? With the people begging on the street, the need is in your face. But when friends, coworkers or neighbors are in need, do I show love towards them? Showing God’s love isn’t just a matter of giving handouts, it is a sacrifice of time and energy, looking to the wellbeing of others, both their physical and spiritual needs. We read in yesterday's passage that Christ laid down His life for us. He made these sacrifices and cares for us. How are we laying down our lives for one another? How is Christ’s living in me, abiding, calling me to sacrifice time and energy in relationships to show His love to all those around me? How has Christ provided for me so that I can give freely?
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