That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage. — Matthew 20:28 (MSG)
Teacher [referring to Jesus], which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself — Matthew 22:36-39 (NIV)
Joyce says it this way: “Do all you can, as often as you can, for as many people as you can. It is the way God wants us to live. As you do, you’ll find that you have never been happier in your entire life. Loving and being loved makes life worth living.” That thought, coupled with scriptures from Matthew are so true. Just like you once were hurting and felt lost, there are countless people around you who need to know of God’s love for them.
Perhaps that looks like taking the time to talk to a neighbor who doesn’t seem to have a lot of family…helping a single mom with her kids while she gets a couple hours away…or sometimes, most effectively, telling people that you care for them, that you are there for them, and that ultimately it's because Christ loves them and wants to help them too.
Acts 17:27 (NIV) echoes that sentiment saying, God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.
He is not far off from you and He’s called everyone of us to remind people that He’s not far off from them either. So sharing your faith is about two things: encouraging them with their spiritual needs and loving them by helping with their practical needs.
Take a shot at doing the following this week: Look at the people around you (family, friends, work peers) and think up ways you can encourage them…whether spiritually or practically. Next week we’ll wrap it up with a question that’s common to many believers: How do I know I’m doing it right?
