“When you need help, where do you go? Choose to follow Christ and place all your trust in Him. He is sufficient for all your needs.”
Since the beginning of time, humans have always needed aid and protection. From needing food, water, shelter, medical attention to refuge from those who seek to do us harm. We typically have found that source of help from two places: within and without. From within, is that inner strength, wisdom and perseverance that is summoned. It is that drive to push us through our hard and difficult times. From without, are those places we go beyond ourselves. We may contact friends, family, our religious community or utilize other resources to give us the aid we need.
Every human for all of history has lived this way, with an exception. The worshippers of the one true God and His beloved Son, have walked differently while dealing with these instinctive needs. Read the words from the book of Psalms in the Bible, which is also ancient Hebrew poetry, “I lift up my eyes to the hills.” (Psalm 121:1)
The writer is referring to the city of Jerusalem, which sat upon an elevated, mountainous, hilly area. It was known as the city of God, where He lived among His chosen people. Consequently, it was always a city that people lifted their eyes up to, rather than looked down upon.
And when a resident of Jerusalem or of Israel was far away, he always knew what direction Jerusalem was. It was something he could see, without seeing. And when he would set his face toward Jerusalem, desire for it grew and inspired hope no matter the circumstances.
Was aide and protection found in a city made by brick and mortar through the hands of mere men? No! A city cannot travel with someone. And it only offers limited help from within. For a city’s edifices have the potential to crumble from an earthquake or be destroyed by an enemy. This is not referring to a city, but rather to the One who dwells within that glorious city. The Psalmist writes, “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Ps. 121:2)
When Jesus died and rose again, no longer were people limited to access God only in a single temple, in a single city. For when Christ arose, He made a way for every soul that turns from their sin and trusts in Him by faith, to be a living temple. A temple where God’s Holy Spirit would take up residence and dwell within them. Then as he walks through life, he knows Almighty God lives both in heaven, within his heart and ever-present around him. Therefore, he can lift his eyes toward the heavens, bow humbly on the ground or just walk confidently on his way, knowing that His help comes from his Savior, who made the heavens and the earth.
The Psalmist also stated, “From where does help come?” (Ps. 121:1) He was communicating about the weakness of himself and the things of this world. The aid, support and protection he needs is limited if he relies solely upon himself. He is limited in knowledge, strength and morality due to his own corruption from personal sin. And the same regarding the things of this world; it all is limited and corrupted by sin. So what does a Christian do in good times and bad? He sets his eyes on the one true God. The Christian knows where his true source of protection, wisdom and power comes from. It comes from the living God who resides within him.
When you need help, where do you go? Do you trust in yourself or others? Choose to follow Christ and place all your trust in Him. He is sufficient for all your needs.
A prayer for you. “Lord God, are we looking to other places for our help beside you? Our own knowledge and wisdom? Other people or resources? We confess our negligence in not coming to you first. We repent and turn to you now. We seek you with all our heart. Change us O, God! In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
“Is it not right to help the needy? It is not good to go to church and to pray? Sure it is! Jesus commands us to, but He also warns about doing them in order to be seen by others.”
Have you seen pictures of athletes, elected officials or other celebrities serving meals for the homeless? In our world today, it is so easy to take a picture or video of yourself or friends doing something good, and then instantly, everyone knows about it.
Jesus once said, “…I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” (Matthew 25:35-36) Then He followed that up with, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” (Matt. 25:40) Without question, Jesus wants people to help the needy, as well as, to be part of a church and seek Him in prayer.
Jesus also said, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1) Practicing righteousness is simply doing what is right, wise and good; like the things Jesus laid out. Is it not right to help the needy? It is not good to go to church and to pray? Sure it is! Jesus commands us to, but also warns about doing them in order to be seen by others.
This refers to the desire to be acknowledged. We may want to be thanked, talked about, have a picture or video taken of us or have something typed up on social media or a blog post about our experience. Jesus states, if that is what we want, that is what we will get. And that will be considered our reward for doing good. However, Jesus also points out, if that is what we are after, we will not be rewarded from God. Jesus makes clear, we cannot pursue being be seen and rewarded by both man and God; it is one or the other.
Jesus gives us instruction in how to pursue being rewarded and accepted by God. He says, “…when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you…” (Matt. 6:2), and “…do not let your left hand know what your right hand and is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matt. 6:4) Jesus is illustrating, how we should not make doing good about ourselves, where it becomes all about us. He is teaching that when we do good, we should do so with a humble and servant-like heart. We are to serve with an understanding that we live for an audience of one, for His glory and praise alone and no one else’s.
The point Jesus is making, is at the heart of what it means to be a Christian. Here is the underlying principle He taught to anyone who wanted to follow Him, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) When it comes to doing righteous or good deeds, we are to deny the inner urge to be seen by others. Instead, we are to take up our cross and do all, not for the glory of self, but for the glory of God.
Are we to never speak of the good we do? It may sound that way, but that is not what Jesus is teaching. When we are seen by others doing good, and have an opportunity to share, we should lower ourselves and lift up Christ. We are to decrease, that He may increase. No glory to us. All glory to God.
A prayer for you. “Lord God, compel us to go out today and do good. Let us love our neighbor and serve them with humble and grateful hearts. But let us do so, not for the praise of others, but for the glory of God. We confess we have done things to be seen by others. We repent of our sin, take up our cross and follow you with all our heart this day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
But how does God say we should respond when someone wrongs us? His Word tells us to “never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’” (Romans 12:19)
Hollywood has made billions of dollars off movies that feature an evil villain that commits unthinkable death and destruction. Then a hero rises in victorious retaliation against the villain and the crowd cheers. Why do we like these? Because there is something inside us, that wants to retaliate when evil is committed against innocent people; especially if it is ourselves, loved ones or friends.
But how does God say we should respond when someone wrongs us? His Word tells us to “never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’” (Romans 12:19) And it goes on to say, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Rom. 12:21) Let us admit, this is not easy. It does not come natural to anyone.
Jesus provides us an example through an encounter with His enemies. The religious leaders gathered to strategize how they could deceitfully trick Jesus into saying something they could arrest Him on. One day they approached Jesus with all sorts of flattery, then posed their question to entrap Him, “Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” (Matthew 22:17)
Jesus, being God, saw the evil intent in their hearts and how they only wanted to do Him harm. Therefore, He could have refused to answer their question. Instead, He chose to respond, “‘Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.’ And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, ‘Whose likeness and inscription is this?’ They said, ‘Caesar's.’ Then he said to them, ‘Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.’” (Matt. 22:18-21)
Notice how Jesus exposed the evil in their hearts, and would not allow the religious leaders deceitful behavior to be covered over. Observe also how Jesus wisely spoke godly truth. The rulers presented something that needed an answer, so Jesus gave a wise response.
He overcame evil with good. Are you familiar with the word nike? It is not just a shoe company; it is the Greek word for “overcome,” which means to conquer and implies war. Jesus knew He was engaging in a spiritual battle with His enemies and conquered their evil with good.
Good means overcoming evil in an honorable and upright way, which first begins in the heart. A heart that is filled with nothing but the love of God for our enemies. In love, not retaliation, Jesus answered His opponents by wisely exposing their lie and sharing with them the truth. During His suffering through the events of the cross though, He responded to His enemies differently, speaking little and often remaining silent.
Though the methods of overcoming evil with good, can vary based on the situation, the one constant is the heart. Seek to always have a heart that resists retaliation, and chooses to respond in an honorable and upright way that pleases God.
But who can live this way? The one man who did, can enable you. If you call out to Jesus and admit your failings, He can pour His Spirit within you. And through His Spirit, He will provide all you need to live victoriously in the face of evil.
A prayer for you. “Lord God, search our hearts to reveal any bitterness or anger toward those who have harmed us. Help us to forgive and remove any desire to retaliate. And give us wisdom to know how and when to speak to our enemies, and when we should be silent. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
