How To Neighbor “When Helping Hurts”
Growing up a widow’s son wasn’t always the easiest. I learned to be the “man of the house” long before I knew what it meant. I remember the struggle and how far God has brought me…but when I look back I see that it was definitely first world problems! I didn’t have what I wanted but somehow always had what I needed…and that was enough! But around the world we poverty as being fed with a bag of rice and flour, in a leaning metal roofed one room building with public water miles away but what if it’s not the material thing that leads to poverty. Maybe you think the same way…what if does the Bible say about poverty?
What if Poverty has to do more with Brokenness?
Brokenness with: GOD, SELF and OTHERS
- We are called to SERVE not to SAVE (John 6:1-9)
- Jesus shows the Disciples here that it was all about serving. He asked the Disciples to Feed the people to show them that only He can save…so the pressure was off of them for that to just serve.
- Many times we can get so focused on trying to “feed” others ourselves that we miss that only Jesus can save…we on the other hand can serve while Jesus saves! We get to provide relief to others while we serve them!
- We are called to RELATE to others not to RESCUE them (John 6:10)
- Jesus asked the Disciples to relate to those they were serving while He provided the rescue. He calls us to do the same today! We have to build relationships and let Him do the work!
- Those in need aren’t projects for you to help but instead people you love.
- We are called to Reach OUT to others not to Reach DOWN (John 6:11-14)
- It is in these moments of being a part of the miracle that the Disciples see that they are just as broken as those who were fed. In that they brought their brokenness together
Jesus blessed it.
- We often miss that when we give Jesus our brokenness He will always give us something so much better in return.
Think of this little boy…he showed up alone with 5 loaves and 2 fish (no parent would let the Disciples take that food from him). Yet, he gave all that he had–little in the minds of adults, but HUGE in the Kingdom. The ones with the poverty mindset were the Disciples who were constantly around Jesus. I wonder if sometimes we are the same. We have such a scarcity mindset that we miss out on our blessing by not giving all we have. Let’s be the difference in others today with the little we got! Watch Jesus show out with it!
Take Away:
What type of poverty have you personally experienced: financial, spiritual, relational, other? What gets you through it?
What will you do to build meaningful relationships with people who are experiencing poverty?
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Tyler West 