Focus On The Word ‘Done’ When It Comes To Helping Others

Luke 10:30-37  &  I John 3:16-18

Give quickly when there is a need; stop the second-guessing that prevents you from saying 'Done!’

Soul Food

“In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

– Luke 10:30-37 (NIV)

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 

– I John 3:16-18 (NIV)

Soul Search

• On a scale from 1 to 5, ‘1’ being ‘least likely’ and ‘5’ being ‘most likely,’ how likely are you to get involved in helping someone who has a clear and obvious need?

• Many (or most) people would likely help someone who is physically injured but may be less likely to assist someone who is emotionally or spiritually hurt.
  Are you as willing to help people with emotional and spiritual needs as you are to help them with physical needs?
  Why or why not?

• Why you are reluctant to help people with physical/material needs?
  Drill down to the real reasons.
  Does something in you get exposed that God might want to deal with when you get honest with yourself?

• Why are you reluctant to help people with emotional and spiritual needs?

• When you bring out clearly the reason(s) you don’t get involved is something revealed in you that God wants to do some work on?

Soul Moves

• Make it your goal to move up in the numerical ranking with your willingness to help people you come across who have needs.

• Be looking for the people God would bring across your path that He wants you to help.

• Pray that the Holy Spirit would press you when you encounter someone that He wants you to help.
  Practise asking God specifically how He would want you to help and then actively listen for His voice answering your question.
  Then, be courageous enough to engage in the help in the way you believe God is telling you to.