Thursday, November 20, 2008

Getting outside ourselves...


Our sermon message last week, which I posted yesterday, was about the command to serve each other. Just as we are to love each other, we show that love by serving others.

I know that today many people are really struggling, fighting just to get by. And a part of me fears that it will get worse as we age, and can do less ourselves, and as money continues to tighten, and we are even less likely to be able to afford to have others come in and take care of things for us.

Yet, the verses that talk about always being ready to help others are still there. Why? When so many of us are struggling to take care of ourselves, why is God telling us to help take care of others? When things are falling apart around us, how can we offer help to neighbors?

Perhaps the Biblical response to serve others is a way of getting us outside ourselves. As we dig in and offer help, we see that others have problems, too! Many times, if not all times, we find that the problems others are struggling with are worse than our own. We see that God has given problems that we can handle (for the most part - we may struggle, but in the end we can handle them). They are unique to us. And allowed by a loving God. (okay, I admit, that part might be a stretch - but I do honestly believe it to be true).

Without reaching out to others, it's very easy to get self-centered and self-focused, concentrating on our problems. Our problems seem much more important than they really are, and our ability to handle them wisely is compromised.

So the best way to handle our own struggles is actually to take some time once in while to step outside our situations and help others with theirs. The concept might not make sense, but I bet it you try it, you'll see that it actually works!

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