Our focus scripture, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves;” Philippians 2:3.
This post is the third of a five-part series discussing how we should view others in relation to ourselves. I will be starting each with the above verse with a specific relationship added to the end. Also, I am not saying we should be viewing ourselves negatively, for our focus verse is not saying anything like that. We all need to see where our heart is in all our relationships. In this post I will be looking at our focus scripture as,
“With humility consider strangers and those in need more important than ourselves”.
There are far more strangers around us then there are friends and family. This is an obvious truth. And I am also sure there are many people within our reach that are hurting and in need of our help, encouragement and love. I am going to address this topic a little differently. I am going to tell several stories that will get the point across much better and also give examples of what has been done for others which exemplifies seeing others as more significant than ourselves.
Story 1 – Many years ago, my son Christiaan heard about something called ‘Free Hug Day’. What it entailed was going out in the community and offering free hugs to anyone who wanted one. So he called several friends and they went to the square in Marietta, GA and held a sign up that said, “Free Hugs” and waited to see what happened. My wife and I had several errands to run but joined them later that day. We came back roughly three hours later, and as we were walking up, a lady approached us and asked if we needed a hug. She had received a hug and felt encouraged to join them. We told her we were part of the group here, and she told us, “Still, let me give you a hug.” How could I refuse, so I let her hug me. After that, we checked on the group and they were telling us they had given out many hugs, and everyone was really appreciative. Then we noticed a car that was driving around the square looking at us. Then the car stopped and an older gentleman got out of the front passenger side of the car and walks up to the group and tells us,
“Can I get a hug? My wife died ten years ago, and I have not had a hug since.”
Well, we all got together and gave this man a group hug which lasted a bit, then each of us gave him an individual hug. He started to cry as he told us it felt so good and he appreciated the fact we were there for him.
Story 2 – A friend of my wife came down to visit from North Carolina, and we all went to church together in Kennesaw. I will leave the name of the church out for reasons that will be apparent later. Linda and her friend went into the ladies room before the service started. They were taking quite a while, but I continued waiting in the foyer for them. After some time, they came out with another lady who had been crying, and they brought her to someone to minister to her. I asked what had happened and I was appalled by what they told me. When they had walked in, there was a lady, the one they came out with, who was sitting on the floor with her back against the wall crying. It was obvious to them she had been there for some time. They watched for a moment as ladies walked in and when finished walked out and acted as though this lady was not there, or not important enough to deal with. No one took the time to comfort her. My wife and her friend knelt down and checked on her, and it turns out her husband had just left her and was going to get a divorce, due to finding someone else. And the sad thing was she had become a member at this church four years earlier but due to being shy, had not made many friends. She was heartbroken because it came as such a surprise. They spent some concerted time comforting her. This lady was in desperate need of ministry, but no one took the time, until two ladies, who do not normally go there, reached out to her. The good news is that after several years, my wife and a friend heard from this lady and she was doing well, married to a wonderful Christian man and was incredibly happy.
This is what we are called to do. In both cases, someone whom we did not know was blessed and encouraged because someone took the time to minister to them. I know these are simple instances, and there are so many greater stories that others have done. We just reached out and let God do the rest. This is what Jesus did for the Samaritan woman at the well, someone who was an outcast in Israel, but who needed Christ. And this is our task today, being Christ’s body here on this earth. Look for those opportunities to put strangers and the needy ahead of us and do it because we love them. This is our calling. We are to go out into the highways and byways, compelling all to come to Christ. We are to meet the needs of all we come into contact with. Here are two stories in the New Testament that show the same idea..
“But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him.“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.This is the great and first commandment.And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:34-40.
“And behold, a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, ‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” And he answered, “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” But wanting to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he encountered robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. And by coincidence a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan who was on a journey came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return, I will repay you.’ Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” And he said, “The one who showed compassion to him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.” Luke 10:25-37.
We are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. And who is our neighbor? All people, everywhere. Whether we know them or not.
So, I say in closing, we need to consider all those we do not know, and/or are in need, more significant than ourselves. It is not always easy, but it is His calling to us, because Christ gave His all for us. Should we do any less?
I know I have posted this poem before but felt compelled to put it here as well.
Lonely Man
“Hello there!” said the homeless man to people passing by.
He waved his hand and gave a smile while looking in their eyes.
They turned away without a glance as if he was not there
But the lonely man just perseveres wishing someone would actually care.
Hours pass and hunger comes but he has no food to eat
Till someone laughs and mocks while throwing garbage at his feet
When nighttime comes and no one stops he looks up at the stars.
Then slowly walks on down the street past all the fancy cars.
He turns into an alley where he hunts a place to rest
But he finds himself escorted out as an unwanted guest.
Eventually he finds a bench on a lonely dead end street
Where he slowly lays his body down with his head upon the seat.
He dreams about a time long gone and all the memories
of happy times and many smiles with friends and family.
He then remembers all the tears of seeing loved ones die,
and losing all that he had owned to an evil scammers lie
He wakes up in the morning, just like every other day,
with tears that flow down dirty cheeks while on the bench he lay
He hoped this day would bring to him a kind and loving friend
To take away the loneliness he feared would never end.
“Hello there!” said this same sad man to people passing by.
He waved his hand and gave a smile while looking in their eyes.
They turned away without a glance as if he was not there
But the lonely man just perseveres wishing someone would actually care.
Be First to Comment