What Shall We Do Then? part 1
In the last Rant series we kind of looked at the age old question of, "Why do bad things happen to good people?". And we came to the discovery that life is life. It rains on the just and the unjust alike. We came to the conclusion that instead of asking "Why do bad things happen to good people?" we should be asking the same question that is found in Luke 3:10, "And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?" Luckily, the answer is in the very next verse: "He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise" (Luke 3:11). And, really, as simple as this seems... it's really pretty deep. It's THE answer. What should we do? Live out of our abundance. See a need and meet it. When you don't know what to do... do what you know. Love. Give what you've got. And here's the part I really like: We are always so self-centered. Sorry. But there it is. When John was asked what should WE do... he said, "take care of others." Being Christ-centered is the opposite of being self-centered. Because being Christ-centered is being people-centered. Whatsoever you do unto the least of them is what you do unto the King. How you treat people is how you treat God. That's why I always say, "Love God and love people. Love God BY loving people!" When YOU don't know what to do... stop thinking about YOU! See a need in someone else and, if at all possible, meet that need. Which is another huge point I want to focus on. John said, "If you have TWO coats, give one away. If you have more than enough food, share it." And, listen, there IS something to be said about ministering out of your hurt. Or your weakness. Giving what you've got when you don't feel like you have anything to give. Now, having said that, when you're on an airplane they tell you to put your own oxygen mask on before you try to help someone else. Because if you're passed out on the floor you aren't any good to anybody. It's one thing to stretch yourself. It's one thing to be able to say, "I know where you're at because I've been there." Or even, "I know where you're at because I'm there too." But there's a difference between stretching yourself out and burning yourself out. One of those is good and healthy. Going out on a limb because that's where the fruit is. The other one is burning yourself out. And that is never good. That is never ok. I've said many times that it's better to burn out than rust out. But that just means--to me--that you should do what you can while you can. Rest is not inactivity. It is Holy Spirit directed activity. And the Holy Spirit will only ever direct us to do one thing: Love. Because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of love. The Holy Spirit is who lives in us so that we might know that as He (God, Jesus) is, so are we in this world. The question is what shall we do? And the answer, in a Word, is love. Stop trying to be someone you're not in order to get something you think you haven't got. Be yourself. Know yourself. Embrace yourself. Ask the right question, and you'll get the right answer. Live out of your abundance. Give what you've got. See a need... and meet it!