It’s good when people understand that we’re trying to help them because we want to help them.
It’s not good when they think our motives are primarily to use them to help ourselves.
I suppose that we’ve all had plenty of experience with both sets of motives.
Perhaps even on the serving side and not just the receiving side.
Yes, it’s a temptation at times to help somebody because you want something back from them, whether it be a good word for you when you’re looking for a job, a reciprocated compliment about physical attractiveness or even some physical affection.
But we all know that this “contract” mentality toward intercession on behalf of others is not Christlike.
It’s much better when we have a covenant mentality that focuses on doing good for others, regardless of whether any good comes back to us.
It’s the Golden Rule thing, you know.
Doing for others because they have need for intercessory help of one form or another.
It’s the pattern of Christ.
It should be our pattern.
I was compelled to share these words today because of what I read in I Thessalonians 2:5-6…
“God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money! As for human praise, we have never sought it from you or anyone else.”
The Apostle Paul didn’t enter the ministry because he needed a paycheck or needed friends or needed something to keep him busy. He had all that while still working as a bounty hunter for the Jewish religious establishment.
What he didn’t have in those days was inner peace.
When he accepted Christ as Lord, he found the inner peace he so desperately desired, although his life became what could only be described as random persecution and chaos for the next 30 years.
If he were after money and human praise, he wouldn’t have been a travelling evangelist.
But Paul wanted to help people.
In his mind, life was about them, not him.
Life for Paul was about connecting people to Christ.
Even when troubles came in waves.
Let’s do our best to show others that we’re helping them to help them.
Our influence will be more clearly directed toward Christ that way.
The world already has enough “users” who help others in other to help themselves.
As always, I love you
Martin
