Tag: Helping Hand

Don’t Get Pulled In

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Don’t Get Pulled In: 

Galatians 6:1-5“6 Brothers,[a] if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load.”

It’s a hard thing sometimes figuring out where the line is to help someone in need. I have always gone pretty far above average to help my friends in need. I’ve spent a good amount of time and effort giving to friends in need, and often at the expense of myself. I often let people come and go as they wanted and often take advantage because I felt perhaps one day my kindness would open a door of change. I wanted to be the helping hand, and I felt that as God’s hands and feet, it was my responsibility to give and let God sort out the rest, so long as I wasn’t putting myself in harms way. I felt that as long as I was a gentle soul, and kind, and true to the word of God, I was doing the right thing. One thing I always kept in mind was not to get pulled in to the temptations of those around me.

It’s important for us to be there to help bear one another’s burdens, and to do so not for our own glory or brownie points, but in all we do to glorify God. We don’t want to be a poser because God see’s the true nature of our hearts, and when we put on a mask and hide the truth, we do nothing but lie to ourselves, everyone around us, and we are trying to lie to God. We must always remain humble and understand that without God we are nothing. When we are giving advice to friends or family we must always remember to do so from a biblical point of view. We must never think it’s okay to take credit for doing anything on our own. Remain humble and keep in mind that the Lord gives, and takes away just as easily.

In this life it’s easy to fall into the temptations of this world. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the flow of the crowd and forget what’s important. Likewise it’s easy for people to become prideful and want to hide their hardships, hide their struggles, and never ask anyone for help. Pride like this is also just as much as sin. We are to carry our own cross and handle the things in life we must handle, but when the boulder is to heavy, we are supposed to ask for help. Many times people will ask for help for little stuff that’s well within their ability to handle on their own. We must learn to ask for help when we really need it, and make ourselves free for those around us when they need help. We are all in this crazy ride together, so we must learn to help and accept help freely. If we aren’t careful we may just get lassoed and pulled in.

1 Corinthians 3:13“13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.” In this life we only get one chance to get it right. When the day comes and we punch our card for the last time, everything we’ve done will be tallied and quantified. We cannot hide anything from God so the best thing we can be is true to ourselves, true to those around us, and be genuine. Many people will persecute you for your stance for Christ, and many people will try to lure you into drama, and other sinful actively while under the disguise of asking for help. Be wary of the wolves, and stay out of quicksand.

 

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Man Overboard

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Man Overboard

We can be traveling along life and it can feel like smooth sailing. Without any warning, a huge wave hits your ship, and you’ve been knocked overboard. You in the water being pounded on by wave after wave, you can barely stay afloat with your head above the water. How terrifying it must be to be helpless unable to do anything to save yourself? The thing is, life is the vast ocean. While we are tossed among the waves often, sometimes we are knocked overboard, and that’s when we are at our rock bottom, the very worst situations in life. People who suffer with addictions, or depression, or anxiety can often feel as if they are never in control of their own lives. How do we help those in need? How do those in the water accept help? We will tackle both areas in today’s post.

First things first, those in the water must be willing to receive help from others. If you are the type of person that would grab onto another person in the water just to save yourself, I’d say you have some soul searching, and you and God need to have a long discussion. Sacrificing someone else to save yourself is the epitome of selfish. I realize self-preservation is a strong motivator, but we cannot drag others down with us. You in the water must be willing to accept the help from others. You must be humble enough to realize your situation, and accept the help when it’s offered to you. When that life ring is tossed to you, it’s up to you to grab it. No one will do that part for you. There will be plenty of people in your life who will help you, and some of them you may not know till you actually call out to them. God gives us the way to resist our temptations, and he answers our prayers, but not always in the way you’d expect. If you try to stay in the water and you push away ever rope thrown to you, or you continue to plunge back into the water of your own decisions, you must realize your own culpability in your situation. We all must realize that we must first want to help ourselves before we can ever accept help from others. If you are in the water of your own accord, you must realize and accept your own need for help, and then be willing and humble to accept it. Matthew 7:7“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” And then in James 1:5“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.”Seek wise Godly counsel, but never stop swimming.

Sometimes people fall away from God. When we try to live life our way, do things the way we want to do them, and when we turn our backs on God, the turbulent ocean is only a matter of time. We must realize that our way is never going to be the right way. When we start to tell God that we can do it better, we are asking for trouble. The Devil will surely give you your sinful desire, and make sure you dig yourself in deep. The path of man who live in the world will surely lead to destruction, and time and time again we see the result of the sinful worldviews. When we are the ones living in sin we must understand that those who are trying to help really truly want to save us from our own actions. We must not lash out in anger, because we aren’t truly angry with them, we are angry with ourselves for getting ourselves into the ocean to begin with.

On the flip side, if you’re the one standing in the boat and you toss out the rope, all you can do is pray the person in the water grabs it. We want to make sure we are offering help, but not enabling people to continue making poor life choices. There is a fine line between offering continued help over and over, and enabling someone to keep living their crucible. We must pray they honestly want the help, and pray they find their way back to God. We can be an example, we can be a shining light, but the choice to fix the relationship with Jesus must come from within their own heart. It’s not easy watching someone spiral downward and be powerless to stop it, but sadly it happens far too often. I’ve watched loved ones do just that, and I had no choice, but to stand and watch in horror as they would loose almost everything they worked so hard for. The same could be said for me though in my own past. I have made choices that were beyond questionable, and I have hurt those in my orbit, and I had to live with the consequences of my stupid, selfish, (self judgment) actions.

We all make stupid mistakes but all we can do is be there and toss out that rope. All we can do is try to lift up one another and shine as Jesus would want us too. 1 Thessalonians 5:11“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” Never give up hope on someone, for Jesus Christ never gave up hope on humanity. Jesus knew the waters would be rough, but his death, his words, his life, have given us eternal hope, and that hope is eternal. We must love one another, and never give up on that love. People sin, people make mistakes, and people hurt people, but always remember, hurting people hurt others. Find a way to endure, and remain in your convictions to be strong for those around you. One day, you will need help, and perhaps it will be paid forward. Seek counsel, be counsel, and always let counsel stand up with unyielding clarity of biblical principles. When you stand upon the true word of the Lord, you can never go wrong in any situation. Forgive one another and do not spite someone for their mistakes of the past. When you see someone who’s fallen overboard and seems to have turned their back on God, or just down on their luck, lend a helping hand. Put a little love, empathy, and sympathy in your heart. It’s not for us to judge, just to love.

When you aren’t sure how to get back to where you were, the secret is, you’re just one step away.

One Step Away, By Casting Crowns

It doesn’t matter how far you’ve gone
Mercy says you don’t have to keep running down the road you’re on
Love’s never met a lost cause
Your shame, lay it down
Leave your ghosts in the past ‘cause you know that you can’t go back
But you can turn around
You’ve never been more than
One step away from surrender
One step away from coming home, coming home
One step from arms wide open
His love has never let you go
You’re not alone (not alone)
You’re one step away
You’re one step away

 

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Pay it Forward

thearrowpreacher2 Comments

Pay it Forward

While on a wonderful date with a very dear woman in my life, I was sitting in Olive Garden having a wonderful conversation. Toward the end of the meal the waiter came up with the customary black pouch that holds the bill. He proceeded to inform us that another table had seen I was a veteran and to thank me for my service picked up the bill. I was left speechless and all I could say was wow that was so nice. The truth that you may find kindness in the most unusual of places is so completely true. While I never expected to encounter such kindness on my trip, I would go as far to say perhaps, on this journey outside of my well established comfort zone, a renewed sense of faith in humanity has been found. While I was expecting the bill to total near $50, I felt badly for the waiter. I couldn’t let that go, so I did what I felt was the best and most correct course, I left him a $20 tip. Though it seems like a small gesture to repay such kindness I felt it was a good start.

I’ve seen and heard in the past these measures of kindness be passed along. Though I’ve never experienced them myself, I’m rarely in a position to afford such generosity. While I do feel that old period in my life is passing away, and a new life is awaiting for me, I am excited to continue to do my part for the good of mankind. It’s so important to continue to look out for those who are less fortunate then ourselves. We must let the guidance of the Holy Spirit point us in the right direction and allow ourselves to not hold onto, or horde our accumulated wealth, but to share it within reason with those we encounter. Doing small acts of kindness such as paying for someone meal, paying for a families energy bill when you know they are in need, or as once in my youth providing a Thanksgiving dinner just because whoever sent it knew my family was not very well off, and often in need of assistance.

Proverbs 22:9 “He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.”

Proverbs 28:27 “He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.”

 In whatever state we find ourselves we will always be better off then someone. We don’t have to look very far to see the suffering and needs of others. While I have sat and thought about this a great deal, I have pondered the song by Brandon Heath:

 

Give Me Your Eyes

Looked down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city of lights
My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight
Touch down on the cold black-top
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breathe in the familiar shock of confusion and chaos
All those people going somewhere, why have I never cared

***

There’s a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie.
Too ashamed to tell his wife he’s out of work, he’s buyin time.
All those people going somewhere, why have I never cared.

 

(Chores)

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see,
Everything that I keep missing,
Give your love for humanity.
Give me your arms for the broken-hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me Your heart for the ones forgotten.
Give me Your eyes so I can see.

 

If we could just all do a kind deed, just one a day, if everyone would reach out to help someone, and if everyone found it within themselves to pay it forward, we would all live in a world where the people in this world would be taking care of all the other people in this world, how much could we change. We are all part of a broken and fallen world, but if we are all broken together, maybe we can find a way to make it in this world together, because together we will always be stronger. Proverbs 27:17 “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” The idea of together stronger is a long running theme in the Bible. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 speaks of the body working in separate parts, yet vital together. The legs and arms work apart, but vital as part of the body as a whole. We are all part of the body of Christ and if we are to work together we must learn to do this as one. We must learn to love one another, and when nice things are done for us, random acts of kindness, we must learn to pay it forward.