January
6, 2014
[Pastorgraphs now online at ChristSD.com]
Pastorgraphs: “Brothers in Need”
“But
whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his
heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let
us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:17-18)
CBS Sunday
Morning reported yesterday that it was 100 years (to the day) since a great
milestone in American labor occurred. It was January 5, 1914 when Henry Ford
shocked both Wall Street and Main Street by offering his employees a whopping
wage of $5.00 a DAY! Up to then, the average laborer made about $2.75 a day. So
Ford virtually doubled the wages of the average worker.
Instead of
destroying the American economy, as some predicted, Ford (more than any other
single person) helped create the great American middle class – just in time for
America’s emergence as a world leader. To the surprise of many, within two
years Ford's profits had doubled, just like the wages he paid his workers!
A century
later, we are still debating minimum wage, unemployment benefits and affordable
health care for the poor. These are important indicators of how we view and
treat our “brothers in need”.
Considering
the consequences expressed in 1 John 3:17, we should take care how we act (and
think) when we see our brothers in need.
Seven
Guideposts When We See Our Brothers in Need
1.
Love
is voluntary. Love
is a choice we make. Attitude is everything. We “tell on” ourselves by our
choices and actions. This is especially true in our attitude and actions toward
the poor. Are they “lazy bums” or our brothers and sisters? There, but by the
grace of God, go you and I.
2.
Love
is sacrificial. Use
the God Standards: God is love. God so loved the world that he gave His only
Son. In his first epistle, John sets the stage by saying no greater love can be
found than laying down one’s life for another. That is what God did for us. It
seems John is saying by comparison, giving a helping hand to “brothers in need”
is asking very little.
3.
Love
is intentional. It
is easy to look the other way, or worse, look right through the beggar at the
street corner. But snubbing, avoiding and indifference are not options,
according to 1 John 3:17. Jesus embraced the downcast and outcast. So should
we.
4.
Love
is consequential.
There are consequences to how we love (or withhold love). We, not the poor, are
on trial. In Matthew 25 and 1 John 3, we learn God is “taking note” of how we
return His love in how we treat others, “even the least of these”. God may be
disguised within the poor. We may be “entertaining angels unaware”.
5.
Love
is costly. Whether
we are rich or poor, loving care always costs us something. True love is
self-giving, whether the one receiving love are worthy or not. Like God’s love,
we can always give strength to weakness.
6.
Love
is demanding. Words
are cheap. Deeds are essential. It is easy to talk about helping the poor. But
ministering costs much more than words.
7.
Love
is liberating.
Notice John said, “in deed AND TRUTH”. This caring love is always accompanied by truth. Love does not have to hide its
actions. Love is genuine. And only genuine love, like the love of God, can
break the chains that bind us. That kind of love is life-giving.
In 2013,
the rich “got richer” and the poor “got poorer”. (Is anyone surprised?) The last
election was all about percentages; remember the 47%, the 1% and 99%. We now
see our brothers-in-need as percentages. How sad we do not see them as
brothers. A few, like Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are giving away their
fortunes to help brothers in need. But far too many are hoarding, ignoring and
withholding.
The
churches and charities at Christ Ministry Center are striving to abide in the
love of God, in both word and deeds; whether it is helping street orphans in
Far East Russia or the street people on El Cajon Boulevard. May God’s love
abide in us all!
Devotedly
yours, Bill Jenkins
From the
Quote Garden:
“This is how we’ve
come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This
is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be
out for ourselves.”
~ 1 John 3:15-16 ~
Christ United Methodist Ministry
Center
“Christ
in the Heart of San Diego”
3295
Meade Avenue - San Diego, CA 92116 - (619) 284-9205
No comments:
Post a Comment