Imagine someone is falling, and you just look on, watching to see if they will be able to save themselves, instead of trying to help? Seems cruel, doesn’t it? It seems unnatural and something most of us could never imagine ourselves doing. Unfortunately, it is extremely easy for us to be the person watching. When we see our sisters struggling in sin and we shake our heads in disbelief, when we see her act in a way that is not “Christ-like” and we talk about her behavior with everyone else except the Lord, we are watching. We are watching to see what happens next; will she change? Will this behavior lead to worse behaviors? Find out next week on the season finale of…
The culture of reality television and social media monitoring has made many of us insensitive. When we are entertained by the personal lives of others, that can translate to our lives and how we view those around us. Although that person on TV chose to use their lives to entertain the world, the trials of others should never be a source of entertainment. As believers, the attributes of the Spirit of God must be continuously employed. (Gal. 5:22-23) Love, kindness, goodness, etc. should be part of who we are. This does not happen magically,
we must deliberately choose the ways of God above the culture of this world.
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” (Rom. 12:2)
Jesus said that we are the light of the world; we are the salt of the Earth. (Matt 5:13-14) We are called to give to this world what it needs through the power of Spirit of God that lives within us. Opportunities will arise for us to show Christ to others. These moments may be simple, but they will be impactful. Imagine that you are at work, and everyone is talking about a coworker: “Did ya’ll see how drunk Judy got at the company party?” One person responds, “Yeah it was unbelievable and kinda sad”. You respond, “Yes, it was sad, I prayed for her this morning”. Simple, yet impactful; by praying for Judy, you brought light to a dark moment and displayed the love of God.
We are called to love others as we love ourselves.
If you were falling, would you want help or an audience? Likewise, do not just watch what’s happening; do what you can to help. There is always something that can be done.
Prayer is a great way to show that we genuinely care about someone; it’s a good place to start. I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. (1 Timothy 2:1)
WORDS TO MEDITATE ON:
"Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips." (Psalms 141:3)
“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:13-16)
