We Must Help The Weak

Acts 20:35

“…we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

“Home is where the heart is” takes on a different meaning when you don’t actually have a home to go home to.

Plenty of people are in need of help in Florida and Texas after hurricanes have destroyed billions of dollars of property. Depending on where they lived, some people have very little to go home to. Some have saved important belongings because of their ability to prepare for the storm quickly. If they didn’t live in a flood plain, they probably didn’t have flood insurance and will have to repair what they can when they can. 

I know several people whose homes were damaged. Unfortunately, I can’t help all of them. So I’ve been helping my mom. Her home was flooded last year by the same river whose banks overflowed again this year. We knew we had to help her prepare for the storm by putting furniture in a storage facility that would likely stay dry until she can move it all back into her home. We saved what we could, but now we’re helping to remove flood-damaged drywall and flooring that was less than a year old.

Today, help where you can. If you have neighbors struggling with their own hurricane recovery, offer to lend a hand. If you live far away from the disasters, consider praying and giving online. 

Many who live away from the weather-affected areas are checking on friends who live along the Texas Gulf Coast and in Florida. They’re asking two things:

• How can I help?
• What do you need?

Both of those questions are appreciated by those who are overwhelmed with the new To Do list that they weren’t anticipating. Many people in my neighborhood are helping where they can, either by donating supplies or volunteering their time.

During this time of need for so many people, find out what the need is in your local area. Pay attention to the requests for help from your friends and neighbors. Volunteer with an organization that is serving the community.

Use your gifts and help where you can. It is appreciated by those who are overwhelmed by their need. God sees your generous heart and your busy hands. Let him direct your activity.

And let me be the first to say, “Thanks!”

Peace in the Workplace

James 1:22  

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

When you struggle against the negativity that surrounds us these days, you wonder how anyone can live in peace. After you’ve prayed for that complainer you work with and she doesn’t seem to change, you wonder how to deal with it.

There is a way to have peace in the work place. James 1:25 reminds us, “But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”  God blesses us when we take action on what he’s said. James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

We pray to our “Dear Heavenly Father” because he’s our parent who has instructed us and expects us to listen and do what he says. That’s Parenting 101. He expects us to obey him just like we expect our kids to obey us.

God wants us to be students of his wisdom. We should be learning individually and in gatherings so we can apply and perform what we learn in the Bible. Our job is to love God and love people. We can do a much better job of that when we’re continually refiling our inner storehouse with God’s wisdom.  

When a new problem appears, we have to find a new tool or a rarely used one from our inner storehouse. If we practice using the tools of Courage, Resilience, Attentiveness, Patience, and Flexibility, we’ll be better at using them when they’re needed.

Do not limit yourself to just your local Bible study. Continue in your church’s Bible study, but add to that knowledge by reading helpful books. My book, Heroine: Rising to the Challenge, helps people develop these tools and feel stronger and more peaceful when problems arise. I created a free Mini-Guide that helps you record your journey so you can remember what worked, what didn’t, and what would be a better plan for next time.

It’s better to practice doing what you’ve read in the Bible and find a new approach to a recurring problem.

You can have peace in the workplace, even if you’ve already tried prayer. Don’t give up. God is still there.

Give to Widows and Orphans

James 1:27

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. 

I am blessed by God to have a good husband and loving children. I’ve enjoyed decades of marriage to a man who has been intentional with giving away a portion of his income. We’ve sponsored children living in poor areas and orphans living in Africa. We’ve supported the poor in our home town and in other countries by online giving or by giving face-to-face.  

The examples I describe in this blog are designed to encourage others to give from the heart. I do this because I want others to feel the same exhilaration from sharing a valuable gift with those who need it.

It always feels good to give to someone who obviously appreciates the gift. We’ve never given to be seen by man, but rather to obey the leading of God. It makes a difference.

Being obedient to God in giving opens up exciting opportunities for the giver. As God trains us in the obedience part, he can reward us with some surprises.

Do you know an elderly woman who needs a little support from neighbors? Your gift doesn’t have to be money. You can offer to make a grocery run for her or let her borrow a book she finds interesting. Your gift of comforting conversation will mean a lot to a widow.

Who knows? She might turn out to be the friend you’ve always wanted.