‘GIVING OF YOURSELF”
I remember once a friend had told me that she had scrimped her pennies to purchase a heavy wool winter coat. Financially she was struggling at that time, so to put a few dollars away here and there was a bit challenging for her. But the day finally arrived and she had successfully amassed the amount she would have for the coat. She had told me how excited she was to have had a new coat. Since many things in her wardrobe were either from thrift store purchases or hand me downs from other people. This new wool coat kept her pretty snug throughout the frigid winter months. And as soon as the weather warmed, she carefully stored her coat in a plastic garment bag, placed it back into the closet where it would be ready for her to wear again next winter. And winter of course rolled in again.
The year was 1994, when Philly was socked with a major snowfall. I remember how deep that snow was, my daughter was not even 3 yet and we took her out side, and she took a step and sunk straight in the snow and disappeared. It was comical to see her surprised little face and her first experience with snow. But I digress-back to my friend. Amazingly enough that same night of the major snowfall, that halted the city her church was open and having a worship and prayer service. So she bundled up in her wool coat and walked to the church, and she said she was surprised to have seen so many faces in the church when she arrived. During the time of worship my friend took notice to a woman who was sitting across the way. My friend said this woman was dressed wearing very thin summer like pants, a short sleeve shirt and a coat that was made more for like spring. And when my friend noticed the coat that the woman had, she heard God say; “Give her your coat.” Of course now at this moment you can imagine the struggle that was going on inside of her. How many here know what I am talking about? When God asks you do to something, but you can come up with 20-reasons why you cannot or will not do it. As my friend had put it, she wrestled with her flesh for a few minutes, because all she could think about was how she scrimped and saved to get this coat. And how she could not just go out and purchase another so easily. But her love for God won out, so she waited for the right timing to approach the woman. That timing came right after when the service was over. Before the lady could leave, my friend quietly and discreetly gave the woman the coat. Of course, naturally the woman wanted my friend to keep the coat, but my friend looked at the woman and said; “I believe the Lord would have me bless you with this, because He wants you to know how precious in His sight you are at this very moment.” No one that was in the church knew of this exchange. Only two women and the Lord. . My friend quietly slipped out of the church, wearing now only her winter slacks and turtleneck sweater. She said the entire walk home she never felt any of the cold. I can only imagine that Jesus wrapped His arms around her to keep her warm.
To finish this story-it was about a few days later a friend of hers came by for a visit. Now keep in mind, my friend never told anyone about her good deed. So on this day when her friend stopped in she had a large shopping bag with her. She said; “I was out shopping for a few things and I felt God say to me to buy this for you. So I did and here you go.” My friend looked inside this bag and there was this beautiful long wool coat with silk threads of colors embroidered through. This coat was a hundred times better then the one she gave a way.
It is so wonderful how God takes care of His children. But I want to point out a few things here:
My friend loved the Lord so very much and wanted to be obedient to His will, and did as His Word commands us. Yes she had to overcome the struggle of what her flesh wanted. But giving over anything that you may hold dear will always rub your flesh the wrong way. But the question is:
Do you love that material object more then God?
Do you allow your excuses to win out, instead of being obedient?
Matthew 25 starting at verse 32
Jesus is talking to those around Him about when God will judge those in the end. He talks about having “the sheep” on His right hand, and “the goats” on his left. For those on his right He will say “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
v.35:-40
35for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
37"Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, "Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40And the King will answer and say to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
Today we have many people around us who are infirmed; and many are in man made prisons, but there are also types of prisons that a person makes by their own hand. When you pass by certain streets or neighborhoods you will find those who do need a coat, or even food. I see this every Saturday when I open my church’s food pantry. Many come in with a look in their eye that says; “Help me, I don’t know what else to do!” Did you know that God in the Old Testament also said for us to help those who are less fortunate then ourselves?
Isaiah 58:7
Is not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out. When you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?
I have learned that when God says something in the Old Testament and then repeats Himself in the new, He is trying to get it through our heads.
v.41-46
Then He will also say to those on the left hand, "Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
44"Then they also will answer Him,[4] saying, "Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45Then He will answer them, saying, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
What I just read was describing some “hardened hearts” of today. I guess with the way media and Hollywood portrays life, some have gotten a hardness of heart without even realizing how hard it is. People set their eyes and ears to shows that tear down the self-esteem of another person. I saw a commercial that advertised a show kind of like I think American Idol. But this show was looking for the worst singer. According to the trailer ad, it said they would build up a bad singer, and then in the final episode they would drop the bombshell on the winner, by saying you are “America’s worst singer” or something like that. How terrible! As far as I know the show still airs. And if this show is still airing, then that tells me there are people still watching. Before I came to the Lord I to had a hard heart and I guess you can rightly say I was one of “the goats”, that was in the scripture I had just read.
Many of you are on the frontlines already, helping those who cannot help themselves. But I want to encourage you to continue to press in and go further. Communicate daily with the Father, and ask Him to help you keep that heart of flesh and not have it turned to stone. When Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount and spoke what we know as the Beatitudes. He said:
Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy
Just as my friend said to that woman:
“I believe the Lord would have me bless you with this, because He wants you to know how precious in His sight you are at this very moment.”
Who here remembers the kid song that you might have learned in Sunday school, called “Jesus loves the little children”
Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Red and yellow
Black and white
They are precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world.
Jesus just does not love the little kids, He is so much in love with the big ones also! So when He sees someone who is in need and you just happen to be standing there minding your own business. Listen closely, because He is going to whisper into your ear that says; “My son/daughter I want you to do…”
So how are your ears today?
Are they in tuned to hearing the Father speak or do you have the switch turned off?
Is your heart softened to give of yourself?
Or maybe you have closed your heart off from helping someone?
Are you “a sheep” that will stand at the right hand of the Lord and rejoice in an eternal reward?
Or has circumstances hardened your heart to the point where you might says you are now “the goat” that will be judged?
Lets pray:
