I’ve read that about 2/3 of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. That doesn’t sound good. That means a household is one case of the flu, one injury, one unexpected expense, or one layoff from not being able to pay bills or buy food or cover some other expense.
In the Old TestamentGo made provision for such a family:
“Now in case a countryman of yours becomes poor and his means among you falter, then you are to sustain him, like a stranger or a resident, so that he may live with you” (Leviticus 25:35).
If you keep reading, there are specifics about how to care for someone who has become poor. Don’t charge him interest if you lend money. Sell him food for cost. Hire him on as a worker. Treat that person with compassion, dignity, and encouragement.
One could boil down God’s commands into one simple idea: “Take care of each other.” Paul wrote, “Love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10).
Stuff happens. It might happen to you. Life throws curves at us. But if a faith community, whether a chosen people or a gathered church, takes care of each other, no one has to do it alone. God provides for us in many different ways. Sometimes it’s through me. Sometimes it’s for me.
And just like that, we’ve made it through Leviticus. I hope you enjoyed the journey as much as I did!
The Sam’s Club parking lot wasn’t crowded when we stopped for a big box of K-cup coffee pods. As we walked in, I heard a voice, “Sir, could you get me a bag?” We turned and saw a young lady around the corner from the main entrance, standing by a suitcase.
Assuming she was homeless, I turned and said, “A bag of what?”
“No,” she answered, “Just a bag. A Sam’s Club bag.”
“You mean a shopping bag?” I glanced at my wife, we both shrugged, and I said, “Sure. We’ll be back out in a few minutes.”
Of course, you never come out of Sam’s with just one thing. I grabbed the coffee and some peanut butter while my wife found a pack of snack crackers for the grandkids. After glancing around the checkout area, I asked an employee, “Do you have any Sam’s shopping bags?”
She said, “No. We have lots of boxes. But we don’t sell any bags.”
“Okay. Thanks.” I wasn’t surprised. I kind of knew were this was going anyway. She was looking for a handout. We decided to get something she could easily eat, in this case a box of beef jerky strips.
She was still there when we walked out of the store. My wife offered her the food and said, “They don’t have bags here.”
The woman said, “I asked and they said they did.”
“Well, here is some food.”
“No thanks.”
Our grandson likes these, so they wouldn’t go to waste. My wife said, “She probably wanted some money.”
“Yeah, I know. But we’re not doing that.”
The topic came up in bible class. Helping the poor and homeless often comes up. The best way to help isn’t obvious. Someone said, “That guy with a sign on the street corner? He’s not poor. He’s got a cell phone and a big wad of cash in his pocket. My friend gives him rides all the time. He’s doing just fine.”
Another person added, “I was talking to the sheriff and asked him about helping people like that. Never give them money. Instead, support the organizations that feed, house, and help them get jobs.”
We encounter it every day. What’s the best way to help? The answer is rarely obvious.
I ran across these interesting words in a letter the apostle Paul wrote to believers in the ancient city of Corinth: “If food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble” (1 Corinthians 8:13).
That’s very noble of you, Paul. But why is that such a big deal? Why should I have to adjust my behavior so that I don’t upset someone else? That’s their problem, not mine, right?
Food offered to idols?
I guess the first thing to wrap my mind around is the whole idea of “food offered to idols” in 1 Corinthians 8. I guess that was a thing back then, even in a pagan culture. While we mostly deal in currency for contributions, gifts of food could be brought to the temples. What are you going to do with all that food? Well, you could sell it in the market, which means you could also buy it in the market.
So Paul had to address the issue of whether or not it was OK to eat food wrapped up in pagan worship practices. On the one hand, it’s no big deal. There is only one true God and only one Savior, Jesus. Those other gods don’t even really exist. So it’s a moot point.
On the other hand, maybe you are someone who grew up in that pagan lifestyle and had become a believer in Christ. You had left behind your previous life to follow him and his teachings. And it really bothered you when others acted like it was no big deal.
I doubt if you’ll find any ritual food for sale at a grocery store. It seems like this inspired word of God doesn’t have much application for us.
Until your choices, actions or habits affect someone else.
Would you do it for them?
I’ve always been hypersensitive to serving or consuming alcohol when in the company of those in recovery from alcoholism. I know it’s their problem. They have to manage their addiction. I just don’t want to do anything to jeopardize how far they’ve come. I can drink a soda that night.
When we had a guest at our house who was extremely sensitive to gluten in food, we went out and bought a new rolling pin to use with gluten-free flour in food preparation. We didn’t have to do that. She could have eaten a salad. But hey, I can eat gluten-free for a day or two.
It is far too easy to bash other Christian denominations, pulverizing their beliefs with my own church’s doctrines. However, sensitive to the fact that many of my listeners have family and friends in those very denominations, I don’t have to do that. I can positively present what I believe and why without attacking the people you love.
Have you recently been asked or told to wear a face mask? Chances are you’re not happy about that. I’m not. It’s certainly not convenient. We don’t like it when someone tells us to do something we don’t think is wise or helpful. And we may be absolutely right. Maybe it is ridiculous, totally ineffective and a violation of our rights.
But would you do it for someone else? Would you do it for someone who was scared? Would you do it for someone who was grieving a lost loved one? Would you do it just to give someone peace of mind?
Would you do it for him?
Jesus said that if you want to come after him, you deny yourself, take up your cross and follow. Sometimes that means you set aside your rights, your preferences, your convenience and your passion for the sake of someone else. Sometimes you do it for Jesus. And whatever – even wearing a face mask – we do for the least of his brothers or sisters, we do it for him.
Driving home from Jacksonville this afternoon around 4:30 pm, the traffic was beginning to build as I merged onto I-95 from 9B. An SUV just ahead of me signaled to merge in front of me, then hesitated for just a moment. I flashed my high beams, encouraging her to cut in front of me. A little wave out the window and she was on her way.
As I drove on, I thought to myself, “Why did I do that?” I’m not always that generous on the highway. More often than not I’m more like, “You’re not cutting front of me. You can merge when I pass. And good luck with that!” And I never think twice about it.
But today was different. I was feeling good, kind, friendly and compassionate. And you know why? I had just had a great experience in Jacksonville. I had to return to the Apple store to get a battery replaced in my MacBook, a necessary chore I hadn’t been looking forward to. When I got to town center, behold, I nabbed a parking spot right in front of the store. As I walked in, I was immediately greeted and my computer was taken in back for the replacement. I knew it would take two to three hours, so I had brought work to do. But no sooner did I sit down with my grande Sbux, when my phone rang. My computer was ready to pick up. I didn’t believe it. In less than thirty minutes? I listened to the message twice. Still dubious. I headed back to the store, found another very close parking spot, and picked up my computer. Yes, it took less than half an hour!
So, on the way home, having had a very positive experience, I was feeling very friendly on the road. You want to cut in? No problem! Have a great day! Whereas I often feel impatient and annoyed driving on the interstate, I was feeling pretty good today. My great experience translated into a great experience for others.
It’s a domino effect, isn’t it? Some initial act of kindness tips that first domino to begin a series of positive events. I made up my mind in that moment that I would try to be that first domino more often.
I just started reading the Old Testament book of Jeremiah, and I think I had forgotten how harsh that prophetic message is. By the end of the second chapter God is basically saying, “Don’t come to me for help. Go to all those gods you’ve been worshiping” (Jeremiah 2:28).
So I began to wonder, at what point could I turn someone away who has been away from the church for a long, long time, but comes back for some a la carte spiritual food? Like someone who you haven’t heard from in about fifteen years who calls up one day and says, “Can I get my kids baptized this Sunday?” Or another who stops by the church now and again and sends an email asking me to do their wedding eighteen months from now. I denied both requests.
Of course I felt guilty. How could I not, seeing as how Jesus tells the story of the prodigal son being welcomed home? And there have been families who have been away for a while who have recently reconnected with the church. And I had no problem with them.
“With great power comes great responsibility.” I always thought Uncle Ben said that to Peter Parker (Spiderman). Actually, it is attributed to Voltaire. Anyway, it applies here. Jesus gives the church the authority to forgive or not, to loose or bind people in their sin.
But how do you know whether to apply mercy or accountability in a given situation? The catechism says you forgive the sins of the repentant. But how do you know if someone is repentant?
The bottom line is, you don’t. You can talk to someone and try to understand their story. You could look for the fruits of repentance. But in the end, you really don’t know. I tend to lean towards compassion, but in the two examples above, I just couldn’t do it.
Sometimes Jesus said, “I don’t condemn you.” Other times he said, “You’re already condemned” (John 3:18). Jesus didn’t like it when the Pharisees shut heaven’s door in people’s faces. Yet he also warned against giving pearls to the pigs.
But Jesus was better at sorting things out. He’s really good at reading hearts and minds.
And he’s great at keeping me on task. I’m not supposed to be a religious sub-contractor, providing various services. I’m just the messenger.
After four weeks of helping take care of my Dad, I spent a week at home catching up on visits, meetings and planning for some summer programs. Dad’s has actually stabilized, we’re getting good care from some overnight companions, and we are retooling our hearts, minds and schedules for some long term care.
Those visits I made last week? They humbled me and got me thinking about our capacity for compassion. I thought I was dealing with a lot. I thought I had a servant’s heart. I’m playing “A” ball compared to these major league caregivers. Continue reading “Compassion 101”→
In the same conversation I mentioned yesterday another question was posed: “How do you display compassion for the lost?” By “the lost,” we mean those who do not have saving faith in Jesus Christ.
Once again, it’s probably easier to see that in someone else than to see it in yourself. So what does that quality look like? Can you hear it in someone’s voice? Or see it in their actions? Jesus is, of course, the best example. When he shows up and sees a crowd of people, they looked lost to him, like sheep without a shepherd, so he immediately gets to work teaching, proclaiming, and healing (Matthew 9:35-36).
Here’s what I’d look for (not in any particular order):
Someone who listens and gets to know people.
Someone who truly cares about people and their situation.
Someone who’s confident that God’s love includes anyone and everyone.
Someone who’s willing to invest time and energy in a relationship.
Someone who understands the mercy of God in their own lives.
Are those things evident in my life? Sometimes. But honestly, sometimes not. There’s something to pray about.
Waite for it... 