Are We Getting It Wrong?

Phil 2:3-5

³ Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; ⁴ do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. ⁵ Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus

James 2: 15-16

¹⁵ If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 

As believers, we are to help and look after our fellow brethren. Our resources are not our own, but God’s to do with as He wishes. All too often, however, we are selfish with our money, our time, and our abilities. To afraid of giving that last dollar, to tired to help that widow, too focused on the wrong things to really help those among us that need help.  

* Where is the faith in His provision? Did He not say that He takes care of the birds of air, yet He loves US more? Matt 6:26 “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

* Where is the trust in His promises? Did He not say that He is Everlasting to Everlasting (Ps 90:2), and so are His promises, His Covenants with us?  Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” See also 1 Cor 1:9.

* Where is the obedience to His Word? Does He not say that faith and obedience go hand in hand? That faith without fruit is dead? James 2:14-26 “¹⁴ What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! ²⁰ But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? ²² Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? ²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. ²⁴ You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

²⁵ Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

    * Where does it say we can be selfish? He commands us to selfless, loving, kind, full of compassion, etc. Galatians 5:22-24 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

* Are we not all, as believers, fellow heirs, and fellow partakers of His inheritances? Are we not all worthy of the same grace? Eph 3: 5-10⁵ which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; ⁶ to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, ⁷ of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. ⁸ To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, ⁹ and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; ¹⁰ so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.

Why then, do we not reach out to our own brothers and sisters in Christ? The world does not know us, because we do not care for our own believing family. I am guilty of this as well. Allowing the fears of my own circumstances close my hands into fists, instead of reaching out and pouring out. By extention, we should also consider reaching out to those who are not believers, just as Jesus did. He is our example, who we strive to be, so why do we limit ourselves, and scoff or think others will do it? 

Oh, Lord God…forgive me of my hard heart. I’ve allowed my selfishness, and little faith to without the blessings You might have given others through me. 

*This post is mentioned over at The Average Advocate