Chapter 4 - Provides for the Needs of Others

It seems rare in today’s age to read the news and be uplifted. A while back, rounding the news cycle, was an article about an incredibly selfless act. Cole Hamels, who is a major league pitcher, had donated 100 acres of land and his mansion worth almost 10 million dollars to a ministry that leads camps for children with special needs and chronic illnesses. Can you imagine that level of selflessness?

Of course, the skeptic thinks, “He is a major leaguer, he must have lots of money.” Yes, Cole at one point made about $20 million a year (spotrac) but when is the last time you gave away half of your salary?

Hamels declared that he and his wife just wanted to help kid's dreams come true. "Seeing the faces, hearing the laughter, reading the stories of the kids they serve; there is truly nothing like it."

Do we really feel that way? Do we feel that there is nothing better than helping someone else? Usually after we do something selfless, we feel that way, but getting there is the hardest part.

The reality is selfishness is universal - it’s the root of sin in all of humanity. We all deal with it, but it sure is easier to see in others than it is to see in the mirror…right? We get more concerned about the selfishness in our spouse, our friends, our co-workers than our own selfishness.

If you are serious about getting in shape and the health of your relationship with Christ, resolve to see your own selfishness as a fundamental problem and treat it more seriously than any other’s selfishness.

There is something powerful when you give away something. Because it isn’t just the item you are giving away, there is an actual release of control. When you voluntarily give something away, you let whatever it is no longer have a hold on you. There is a release of ownership.

It is too easy for money and for material stuff to be in control of our lives. Jesus said, “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” – Matt 6:21 NLT. He said that because He knows where we put our resources is what controls our heart. Your bank account announces with great clarity exactly what you’re most passionate about. When you literally give money and stuff away, you give away its hold on your life.

I experienced this in Kenya. I have had the great pleasure of helping lead a ministry in Meru, Kenya that supports widows and orphans. In my life I’ve been fortunate to have been to over a handful of countries.  While in Kenya I always become acutely aware of the extreme poverty level. On one of my ministry trips, I was blessed with the opportunity to preach for a Kenyan Church. After speaking, I asked the congregation to pray for a church I had just planted.

I will never forget that prayer as they called upon the God of heaven to bless our new church. I went to sit down and the Senior Pastor stood up and said today he felt impressed upon by God Almighty to do something. I was curious to what was happening. Then he said, “Today there will be no offering for us. We are going to send that money to help this church.” Then he said something that opened up the floodgates of emotion in my heart. He said, “Most people expect the white man to come and give to us. Not today, we are going to help this man and his church.”

These people have very little, yet they gave what they could, and all the money collected that morning went to this brand new church plant I was pastoring. Emphatically, they declared money had no control of their hearts and that they trust God. I’ve never felt more humbled and honored.

This was a lesson I needed. My personality is being a tightwad. I typically dislike spending money. But I have not a single ounce of regret giving money away. I’ve had buyer’s remorse before but no remorse in blessing other people. The life of a Christ-follower is marked by a heart that is desperate to give to others.

When John the Baptist was preparing the way for Jesus, many would come to him to be baptized. He would tell them to turn from their sin and to not think that because they are a Jew that they were God’s children. So the crowds asked what they need to do.

Luke 3:11 John replied, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.”

John was saying prove that you really have turned from your sin and do what’s right. And doing what’s right means that you help other people. James, the half-brother of Jesus, says the same thing when he wrote, James 2:15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

I’ve worked at a couple of places with a community fridge. I’d rarely use the fridge because I don’t trust people. But I noticed people were like me and they would write their name on their food or drink. They were saying this is mine. I think we need to figure out what the Holy Spirit has written our name on when it comes to helping people.

We need to seek the Lord and ask what we should do. As individuals, there are going to be things that God lays on your heart, things that have your name on it. Mow a yard, rake leaves, provide a service of some sorts, baby-sit for free. God might even want you to financially support a family. There are many areas you can help with as an individual and as a family. God might want you to do specific things and you need to be walking in the Spirit to hear that.

In Scripture there are crystal clear instruction for all believers to do. James 1:27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. All throughout the pages of the Bible, you can find the importance of ministering to widows and orphans. Being a Father to fatherless is right up God’s alley. Loving on a lady who doesn’t have someone to help her is His wheelhouse. We don’t need to pray for God’s will in these situations. The answer is, “Yes! Help them.”

God gives us a no-lose situation. When you do these things, Jesus says you are doing these things for Him. So the goal isn’t just to be considered a good person but that through the provision of needs in other people’s lives, they and others can then see Jesus in you. That’s the endgame, that God gets the glory, not you, not the name of the Church, but God.

The glorious thing about our Father is He’s trustworthy. He sees when we give and He promises to take care of us.

Prov 11:24 Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. 25 The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

Luke 6:38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.

So as we give, we trust God is going to take care of us. We are acting on faith that God will take care of us. If you are in a tough financial situation, pray and ask God how to better take care of your current resources so that you can start helping soon.

Paul writes in Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Can you imagine if within our families, within our friendships, if within a church family, if in any relationships that we have been blessed with, if people saw us walking in humility! What if they saw gentleness, patience? What if they saw us bearing with one another in love? What if they saw us eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace?

That seems to be a pretty daunting task. And the reality is on our own we can’t pull off that walk. If Paul had written, “I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling,” then we would stop and say, “No way. That’s too tall of an order.”

One word makes a big difference. In vs 1 Paul writes therefore. In my Bible classes I was taught when you find a “therefore” you need to figure what it is there for. “Therefore” is there to point us to the previous verse. In this case we would need to look at the last two verses of Chapter 3. 20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

I’m not able to walk with all humility, gentleness, and patience. I’m not able to bear with one another in love. I’m not able to be eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, but Jesus Christ is. Jesus is the one who walked on this earth with all humility, with all gentleness, with all patience. Jesus is the one who walked on this earth bearing with us in love. Jesus is eager to bring peace into our lives. Jesus has already walked that way. And He is able to help you walk the same way.

One of the times Jesus displayed His selflessness was when he did something that would have been hard for me to do. The disciples were all together in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. They have settled into an upstairs room after walking many miles. The streets would have been dirty and dusty. Things were looking up because it was dinner time. Then Jesus takes what seems to be a normal moment and turns it into one they would never forget:

John 13:2 It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

What an amazing scene! The disciples are ready for a meal and mingling, but Jesus removes His outer cloak, gets a towel, and begins touching the grimy feet of His followers in order to wash them. I’m pretty confident that none of them had recently stopped by the spa for a pedicure.

They all knew what Jesus was doing. He was doing the work of the servant. Jesus was acting as if He was the hired help. What humility! What selflessness. Yet chances are you get upset if you don’t call “shotgun” quick enough and have to sit in the back seat of the car. This is the Creator getting face to foot and serving His friends. Well, actually not all were loyal friends. There was a betrayer at the party that night. Yet, Jesus was not at all leashed in lavishing His love.

One of my best friends hates feet. Hates isn’t even firm enough. Loathe is more appropriate. He can get queasy seeing a stranger out of his natural shoe habitat. This scene with Jesus can make us a little nauseous too, because typically we think of serving others only when we get something in return. If we do something for someone else, quite honestly, a lot of times we expect someone to bless us back. We don’t ever want to help someone where we end up in a situation where we felt we are taken advantage of and we don’t want to be thought of as less than. We want respect and recognition, and we don’t want to be treated like or looked down upon as a servant. 

But Jesus wasn’t thinking in those terms. He was seeing the bigger picture. He was thinking along the lines of what the disciples needed to watch, needed to remember and, in turn, needed to do. It was an example for them, and us, to follow. It wasn't just a pleasant story and a lesson learned for the disciples - it's something we could afford to practice ourselves.

12 After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am.  14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.”

This is a message that is intended to carry through time. Jesus wants us to understand what following Him is all about. Now, before you freak out because you are not a foot person, you really have no desire or intention to touch them, let alone wash them, let me assure you of something. The point isn’t the feet washing. The point is Jesus putting aside His status and His rights in order to serve someone.

Jesus was ready and willing to wash His disciples’ feet. The heart was there. He wanted to serve them, But I also want you to notice Jesus not only had a heart to do it, but he also had the skill to do it.

You might think anyone could have done what He did. That’s not true…not to be funny, but there was a physical aspect to what He did. He had to pour water, potentially move the basin, bend down actually wash the feet. So technically not everyone could do it, but most could!

You need to find out what you could be capable of doing and serve. I don’t think Jesus used the example of washing the disciples’ feet because He was thinking, “I just really love touching feet so this is how I’m going to serve you.” We know He definitely didn’t say, “Washing feet is ridiculous so I will not do it.” No! He knew it was needed and He could do it, so He did it. And He didn’t do it with a poor attitude. He did the job well. Even washing the feet of Judas, the betrayer.

If you are waiting for a very specific way to serve society to open up, you are missing the point. Maybe you have a great magic trick with a bunny and hat that brightens people’s day and you will not serve until you get asked to perform the trick, but with that attitude you will miss out on a host of other ways God could use you. If you have the capability of doing other things, do those too! Serve someone doing something else in the meantime.

So start serving now. Serving people isn’t talk, it has to have actions. The scene would have been a little different if when the disciples had gathered with Jesus, all Jesus did was ask them if their feet were tired and listened intently to their responses. Sure, that would show concern by asking about them, but what was He going to do about it?

This is where things may get more difficult - when we actually have to put our service into action. Are you willing to be the person who does what needs to be done? Are you willing to get eye-level with someone’s “feet” to show them you care? Are you willing to be the servant Jesus was, even if no one returns the favor?

Sometimes the hard part is that you are left washing some dirty feet, and no one offers to wash your own. Sure, sometimes they may, but sometimes they won’t. And when that is the case, we may have to ask, what is our motivation for serving to begin with? Is it to get the same treatment back, or is it to model the character of Jesus? To become a servant to all?

Here’s the thing though…Even when people might not notice, God notices when you serve. And He doesn’t just notice it, He blesses you for it! After Jesus told the disciples to serve others, he throws this little nugget out there, John 13:17 Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.

God blesses those who put their service into action. Trust Him. He will take care of you and He will make sure you are blessed when you serve others.

Do you have the heart? Do you have any ability or skill level that could help? If so, serve. Let’s wash some feet!