Are we as a Church taking care of people?
After all, loving another as yourself is the second most important commandment we were given (Mark 12:28-31). Whatever ministry we are a part of, we are all commanded to reach out to the people around us both inside and outside of the Church walls.
What would life look like if we understood the importance of investing in the lives of the people sent our way?
People are a worthy investment of our time. People should even take precedence over ensuring that a high quality and seamless service is executed. At times, people are even more important than productivity in the workplace.
Jesus asked us to be radical by loving even those who have nothing to offer us in return. By obeying His commandment to love each other, we will become more Christlike.
We need friends who will lift up our chins and direct our eyes towards a God who is faithful to bring His promises to pass.
From Isaiah 61:11 and Luke 4:18, we’ve been called to share the good news of Jesus to the poor and those who have no way of hearing the Gospel. We are called to comfort the brokenhearted, speak freedom into the lives of those who are captives of sin and show the light of Jesus to those who are depressed and facing darkness in their lives.
The fact is every single person you meet – regardless of how “put together” they appear to be – is probably struggling with some sort measure of hurt in their lives.
Loneliness flourishes in suffering. How many times have we ached for companionship and solidarity when everything seems to be falling apart? We need friends who will lift up our chins and direct our eyes towards a God who is faithful to bring His promises to pass.
Here are some handles to reach out to the people around us:
- Take risks — dare to strike up a conversation with the sister/brother in church you’ve noticed sitting by herself/himself every week
- Be curious and seek to serve — ask questions, find out what they’re struggling with and how you can pray for them
- Pray for a word — ask for a God-inspired word for someone who is struggling (Proverbs 15:23)
- Be consistent and intentional — set your mind to reaching out to one or two people who you will be committed to journeying alongside with
- Seek strength and wisdom from God — to know how to care for people wisely (James 1:5)
True friends bring the unconditional love of God into the lives of others, which has the power to break the chains of oppression, lift the clouds of depression and bring rain to dry and parched hearts.
We shouldn’t allow indifference or fear to hinder us from being a vessel of God’s relentless love. We don’t need to worry about not knowing what to say, because as we simply obey, God promises to give us the words to sustain the weary (Isaiah 50:4).
