“By this all will know
that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” ― John 13:35
“People don’t care how much
you know until they know how much you care.”
I first heard Dr. John Maxwell say this at a Promise Keepers Conference in
Indianapolis in the mid 90’s. There are
some statement that I have heard over the years that have stuck with me – that is
one of them. It is not so much what I
say but what I do about what I say. It is not enough to think good thoughts –
that is the world’s version of praying – but what is most beneficial is faith
in action.
When the Good Samaritan saw
the man in the ditch – it was not enough to stop and say – “I will pray for you
friend.” The man needed something more than that. Sometimes saying “ I will
pray for you.” Is just a way of avoiding
getting involved – of having to do something tangible. In that case the Samaritan who had no cultural
obligation to help a Jew – helped – above and beyond.
“If anyone wants to sue
you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels
you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who
wants to borrow from you do not turn away.” – Matthew 5:40-42
I have a red hooded Carhartt work
jacket that I have had since 2005. I was standing in the parking lot of a
church in Waveland, Mississippi. I was running
a volunteer camp at the time. It was
November or December, not sure, but I do know it was cold and I was not dressed
for it. I didn’t have a coat, but the situation called for me to be where I was
in spite of the cold. We had over a
hundred volunteers at the camp who had come to help the people affected by
Katrina. At any rate, I was doing what I do – what God has SHAPE’d (not a typo)
me to do. A guy walked up to me and asked if I had a coat. “No I don’t.” was my
answer. So he took his coat off and gave it to me. The red hooded Carhartt work
jacket. And said “Keep it!” I was humbled by his demonstration of Jesus
command. And me being me – I reminded him that the scripture said he should
give me his shirt too! He said he was going to keep his shirt! That selfless
act is another thing that has stuck with me over the years. He may not remember
it, but I do every time I put that jacket on because it is cold outside.
I don’t even know his name. He went his way that day and I went mine –
both of us consumed with the unbelievable task at hand. Why tell you that
story? Because I know that he was a disciple of Jesus. Not because he shared
the Gospel with me – but because of his selfless act of kindness to a stranger.
Hmmm. Kind of like the Good Samaritan.
“Greater love has no one
than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” ― John 15:33
Jesus told the parable of the
Good Samaritan after he had shared the two greatest commandments – Love God and
Love Others. He was asked to explain who the “others” were – certainly not the
people we don’t’ like! God sent His Son to die for people who didn’t like Him.
Kind of takes away our excuses doesn’t it.
We have all been affected by
COVID 19. But that has not absolved us of being Jesus to those around us. Those we meet. Those that we may not like
even – for what we consider to be justifiable reasons.
No matter what God asks me to
do for others, it will never match the sacrifice Jesus made for me. Same goes
for you my friend.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For
His Glory Alone
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