2 Kings 7:9, “Then they said to each other, “What we are doing is not right. This is a day of good news AND WE ARE KEEPING IT TO OURSELVES…” (NIV)
As His Disciples, We Get So Satisfied With OUR Healing; OUR Restoration; OUR Renewal; OUR Salvation, And OUR Deliverance, We Forget That We Have Been Commissioned To Ensure That Others Receive All These Same Blessings Too. You Have No Idea What The Planting Of Your Small Seed May One Day Yield For Someone Else’s Harvest. There are lost people who need at least a little of what we have a lot of! Today I continue what I do because I want to be there as God’s mouthpiece for the person who is at the end of their rope. I want to teach them how to hold on even if it is to the last string. Because this is what we are here for.
It is wonderful that we are healed, restored, renewed, saved, and delivered, but what about those who do not have that testimony yet?
Today is a good day to share some of your food, and why not start with some Fruit? Share a pot of love, a plate of joy, a cup of peace, a forkful of longsuffering, a spoonful of gentleness, a glass of goodness, a saucer of faith, a serving of meekness, and a good portion of temperance? (Galatians 5:22-23).
Thanksgiving is almost here, and it immediately makes me think about sitting at the family table. You see, somewhere in the ‘Fathers Handbook’, I am convinced it says that the father automatically gets to carve the turkey, or the ham, or the roast. And most men do not mind; they feel very fatherly when they get to do that, very manly sitting at the head of the table with their super carving knife. But I have observed something rather odd. Now, if you come from a huge family like mine, you are accustomed to large portions of chicken, turkey, ham, ribs, rice, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, cornbread, yams, and the like. In other words, you are used to there being a lot of food! Yet, even with all this food available, often someone ends up with an empty plate! See, sometimes at a large dinner gathering, you have got someone who loads up their own plate, starts chowing down and shortstops all the food where they are! Ever notice that it all seems to pile up sometimes in a corner and does not get moved past there? After all, it is not going to bother the person whose plate is piled high, and they are satisfied stuffing their face! But while they are enjoying a full plate of food, some of us end up with nothing in our corner, because they got theirs, but did not continue to pass the trays to those who did not! However, the way this should work is that you take what you need, and you pass it on to others who do not have any yet. Sad to say but when you have got plenty, it is awfully easy to forget those who have not been served anything yet!
With that in mind, I want you to travel with me to Matthew 10. Jesus is speaking to His disciples, who have in a sense been sitting at the dinner table and being very well-fed. They have sat in many meetings with Jesus, they have heard, seen, and received a lot, and now He calls them together in Matthew 10:8 and says, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons…” (NIV) He’s sending them out now. And He does so with these added words, “…Freely you have received; FREELY GIVE.” (NIV) In other words, Jesus is saying, “Look, I passed it to you, not just so you could be full (especially of yourselves), but you’re supposed to pass it on to others!” But the problem comes in because we, as His disciples, get so satisfied with OUR healing; OUR restoration; OUR renewal; and OUR salvation and deliverance, that we forget that we have been commissioned to ensure that others receive all of these same blessings too. It is wonderful that we are healed, restored, renewed, saved, and delivered, but what about those who do not have that testimony yet?
The word “selfish” is what immediately comes to mind. The word “selfish” is defined as “to be concerned chiefly with one’s own personal profit or pleasure at the expense and consideration of others.”
Which takes us to Deuteronomy 15:7-9, “When you happen on someone who’s in trouble or needs help among your people with whom you live in this land that God, your God, is giving you, don’t look the other way pretending you don’t see him. Do not keep a tight grip on your purse. No. Look at him, open your purse, lend whatever and as much as he needs. Do not count the cost. Do not listen to that SELFISH voice saying, “It’s almost the seventh year, the year of All-Debts-Are-Canceled,” and turn aside and leave your needy neighbor in the lurch, refusing to help him. He’ll call God’s attention to you and your blatant sin.” (MSG).
For Those Who Do Not Know: Selfishness Is Sin! Which takes me back to the family table. Remember now, this is the FAMILY TABLE. Which makes this behavior all the worse! How do you sit at a table with more than enough, and yet allow your FAMILY to go without?! Likewise, how do we, as believers who serve a self-sacrificing Savior, have all that we have, and yet we are Selfish?!
In other words, if we imitate how our Savior lived, we can then live better. He was forgiving, loving, compassionate, gentle, kind, patient, and giving. I wonder would the people around us be able to say that they see those very same attributes in us, His disciples.
John 13:34-35, “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. IN THE SAME WAY I LOVED YOU, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they SEE the love you have for each other.” (MSG).
Do we love as unconditionally as Jesus? Of course not, that is why so many are sitting at the corner of the family table with no provision while we pig out in our little section of the family table! As believers, we are indeed held to a higher standard in society, no matter how bad the society may get. We as believers, are to be “…recognized…” as forgiving, loving, compassionate, gentle, kind, patient, and giving. And the word “recognize” is defined as, “to clearly identify; to acknowledge or take notice of in some definite way; to perceive without question; to discern.” People should be able to look at our characteristics as Christ-like believers, and clearly see; take notice of; perceive without question and easily discern that we are in fact who we say we are and belong to who we say we belong to! In addition, we are “…commanded…” to love others “…IN THE SAME WAY…” that Jesus loved us. And a “command” is not a suggestion! A “suggestion” is defined as “an idea or plan put forward for consideration.” But we have not received a “suggestion” to be considered as a possible good idea. No, we have been given a Command! And a “command” is defined as, “to give an authoritative order with the expectation that it will be followed.” And our Authority is Jesus Christ as Lord, King, Savior, Master, God, Chief, and Commanding Officer! We are Commanded to Love Others “…IN THE SAME WAY…” that Jesus loved us! And that cannot be done by starving family members at the family table!
Even Judas was provided for at the family table, how much more should we then provide for the least, the lost, the lonely, the last, the looked over, and the left out?!
Galatians 6:7-8, “Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants SELFISHNESS, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God! —harvests a crop of weeds. All he will have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.” (MSG)
If You Do Not Want to Reap Selfishness, Stop Sowing It!
Let us travel back to our opening text. There is a story in the Old Testament in the book of 2 Kings. It tells about four lepers who lived outside a city that was being starved to death by an enemy siege. Finally, they decided just to surrender to the enemy thinking, “Well, you know what? We are probably going to be killed anyway, or we are going to die of starvation. So, maybe they will take us and feed us, or we’ll just die like we’re going to die here.” However, what happened was they found out that God had performed a miracle and driven the enemy out. The camp was empty. And they ended up with all this food that had been left behind! They are sitting there eating and chowing down all night long while people are still starving to death in the city that they just came from!
Finally, by the morning light, one of them says, “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news AND WE ARE KEEPING IT TO OURSELVES.” (7:9 NIV) What a picture of us as American Christians! Think about it: We’re the spiritually wealthiest Christians in all of history: We have seminars, and workshops, and radio programs, and TV programs, and conferences, convocations, magazines, books, blogs, iPods; iPads; tablets; laptops; and websites. It is just so easy to get caught up in a comfortable cycle of listening and just saying, “Well, you know, that was a nice sermon, wasn’t it?” Going to Bible study, and attending a fellowship we enjoy, going to concerts, and feeling real spiritual a lot of the time. And honestly, with all of this at our disposal, we ought to be growing. We ought to be filling up with spiritual resources– and loading up on the Lord, loading up on His truth-HOWEVER NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHERS! “…Freely you have received all of this; FREELY GIVE.”
Question: "What does the Bible say about selfishness?"
Answer: Selfishness is that attitude of being concerned with one’s own interests above the interests of others. However, the Bible commands us to “do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4, NASB).
It’s interesting to note in this passage that Paul compares selfishness to “empty conceit”—a term that could be translated “vanity” or “arrogance.” It refers to an overly high opinion of oneself. Selfishness, then, is akin to narcissism.
Selfishness or empty conceit is often expressed by building up oneself while tearing down someone else. It is one of the “works of the flesh” according to Galatians 5:20. It leads to “disorder and every evil practice” (James 3:16). Selfishness caused the children of Israel to “willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved” (Psalm 78:18). Selfishness caused the rich young ruler to turn his back on Jesus (Matthew 19:21-22). Selfishness ruins friendships (Proverbs 18:1), hinders prayer (James 4:3), and is the product of earthly wisdom (James 3:13-14).
The opposite of selfishness is also found in Philippians 2: being united with Christ, having tenderness and compassion, and “being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose” (Philippians 2:2).
Prayer and a love of Scripture are necessary as well. “Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain” (Psalm 119:36). Love covers a multitude of sins, including selfishness. If we are truly “devoted to one another in brotherly love” (Romans 12:10), we cannot be selfish. Having the attitude of Christ is to demonstrate tenderness and compassion for all those we meet.
Now some may not like what I am about to say, but I will say it anyhow, and I stand by it 100%! Everything we do as Christians CANNOT have a price tag attached to it! We say we want unbelievers saved, but they must pay for the Gospel we received for free! Well, what happens when the book would be a tremendous blessing to them, but they cannot afford the $19.99 price tag? What happens when that conference would have changed her life, but she could not afford the registration, hotel rate, and airfare to attend? What happens when he would have been greatly encouraged, but could not attend your men’s retreat because he is unemployed? Jesus met people where they were! Why don’t we?
I have been asked for the last 13 years why I do not turn the devotionals into a book? Or why haven’t I published my book yet? Or why do I post all my bible studies, sermons, and devotionals on my website for free? Well, this is the reason in a nutshell: Not everyone can afford a price tag! But what I have found personally priceless is the Pastor in Nambia who emailed his thanks for allowing him to use a bible study series that brought souls into his church. Or the missionary in Botswana that used a devotional to teach the children about having dreams. Or the Evangelist in Brooklyn that preached a devotional because it encouraged her heart personally. Or the sister in Detroit that rediscovered Worship through the ‘Inspirational readings Or the brother in Atlanta that is newly married and follows faithfully every devotional to see how he can apply the lessons to his life and become a better father, husband, and man on the marriage devotional I wrote.
Those things were possible because what they needed was within reach and free. When I hear that it encouraged, empowered, or inspired someone to do and be better, that is the gift to me! I want to share something with each of you. Someone sent me this about 9 years ago. She said when I was unsaved you shared a Free Scripture with me from John 1:12, when I told you I wasn’t the type of person Jesus of all people would want to associate with. And yet you quoted, “But as many as received him, to them gave the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” At the time I was homeless with 2 toddlers in a shelter. You invited me to church, and I told you I could not come because I did not have any money or the right clothes to wear. You picked me and my girls up, took us to your home, introduced us to your husband, fed us and clothed us and got us a motel room for a week. I had nothing to give you in return, but my thanks and friendship, which remained intact until we relocated.
I share all of this because my heart grieves for those who need but are not being helped! While we’re running, jumping, praising, worshiping, dancing, spinning, speaking in tongues, preaching, teaching, and praying…someone is wondering where they’re going to live; what they’re going to eat; where will they get coats for a cold season; when will a job finally come through; what will I say to the kids for Christmas, when I have no gifts for them? How do we celebrate Thanksgiving when we do not feel as if we have anything to be thankful for? How will I get the lights and gas back on? Then, you have those that are trying to pull themselves out of the bed just one more day. Those who are depressed, discouraged, wounded, desperate, in pain, and just all around frustrated with life!
You have no idea what the planting of your small seed may one day yield for someone else’s harvest.
You see, Jesus said, “To whom much is given, much is required.” (Luke 12:48). Therefore, should not we (believers; the church; the disciples of Christ; the children of Light; the children of God) then be found giving as much as we are getting? Honestly, the young lady called me, she is married and has a beautiful home and job, she finished college she said to me, can you imagine for someone like me, with all of that as my testimony, to be selfish? Truth is, I cannot afford to be! Because when I needed God, one of His servants was there for me and that was you and I did not need to pay you to be there either! I do not know what my life would be like had you never crossed my paths. And I truthfully do not want to know! But what I learned from you is to always share the unconditional love of God and to do for others as I want done for me. I needed someone, and you were there.
Today I continue what I do because I want to be there as God’s mouthpiece for the person who is at the end of their rope. I want to teach them how to hold on even if it is to the last string. Because this is what we are here for. There are lost people who need at least a little of what we have a lot of!
So, what did the lepers from 2 Kings ultimately do? “So, they went and called out to the city gatekeepers and told them…” (vs. 10 NIV) We need to do the same. Those who are perishing, hurting, depressed, and discouraged, need us to call out to them because somebody remembers what it was like on the other side of the wall. Someone here today needs to tell them what God did. We need to tell them what we have found. We need to share our discovery. We need to tell them the Good News. We need to feed those who are so desperately hungry, both naturally and spiritually. Don’t get me wrong, it’s alright to pray for your cup to run over, just make sure you amend your prayer to say, and Lord give me a saucer for the overflow so I can pass the blessing on! Do not sit at the table full, while others are empty, and you have extra!
Pass the Plate Please!
Every believer should be actively involved in reaching the lost; rescuing the dying somehow…including you, in an outreach to people that you are uniquely close to, or by starting or supporting outreach programs through your church, or by giving time or talent to a Christian ministry that is actively rescuing lost people. Maybe even by changing your life plans. But just do not keep piling it up on your plate, because there are people all around you who are dying of starvation both naturally and spiritually.
Today, Let Us BE the People of God in Both Our Word and Deed!
Today, let us Pass the Plate to Those Starving Who Need Sustenance…Naturally AND Spiritually!
“Do all the good you can; by all the means you can; in all the ways you can; in all the places you can; at all the times you can; to all the people you can; as long as ever you can.” (John Wesley)
Today is a good day to share some of your food, and why not start with some Fruit? Share a pot of love, a plate of joy, a cup of peace, a forkful of longsuffering, a spoonful of gentleness, a glass of goodness, a saucer of faith, a serving of meekness, and a good portion of temperance? (Galatians 5:22-23).
Blessings
J.P. Olson
www.thewordwithjpolson.com
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