We all feel, to one degree or another, uncomfortable helping people in need. When we come upon a person in need, the easiest thing in the world to do is look the other way. Google, while by no means a religious format, says “Kindness is defined as the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. Being kind is doing intentional, voluntary acts of kindness – not only when it’s easy to be kind, but when it’s hard to be.” On the same page can be found 100 random acts of kindness, all of which involve “doing” not “ignoring”.
Excuses for not doing something to meet someone’s need are just as easy. My mind can come up with 5 or 6 reasons why I shouldn’t help, much faster than I can think of one reason to get involved. My top go-to reasons include not having enough time or money at the moment the need is presented. After all my life is one of those lives which is busy. And my resources are the kind of resources which are limited. But this self-centered thinking puts me in the position of nervously focusing on my worldly problem, instead of peacefully trusting in the solution. I’m like Peter, fearfully focusing on his worldly problem of having nothing but water under his feet, while robbing himself of the peace Jesus wants him to enjoy in His presence.
When Jesus comes into our lives, or better yet, when we fully embrace Jesus in our lives, He fills us with kindness. But He doesn’t stop there. He also fills us with the peace we desperately need to put our faith in Him as the provider of literally every blessing we have – time, job, talent, hand-eye coordination, strength, etc.
Now, it’s Showtime. Jesus, our “distributer”, wants us to show Him that we are “warehouses” not “storehouses”. He wants to see that the people He sends our way receive the goods they need. And when we show Him what He wants to see, He blesses our obedience with abundant peace, completely secure in the knowledge that our blessings from Him will never run dry.
Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” Matthew 14:31 NLT
