The need was greater than what any one person could carry alone, but when the opportunity surfaced, several friends banded together to do what they could to make a difference.
And make a difference they did. It wasn’t easy nor was it always fun, but being part of changing a life filled their souls in a way that made every sacrifice worth it.
Many in the group sought out more opportunities to help others grow in their relationship with Christ — which sometimes meant helping them find Him first and often meant assisting them in removing obstacles in their lives at the same time.
As the friends rebalanced their own lives to make room for what they sensed as a calling from God, their awareness of the pain, frustrations, difficulties and overall hopelessness of others around them heightened.
Each friend prayed for direction and discernment about the particular role they were to play, focusing on the giftings God had given them and specific skills they had learned through the years.
Everyone could — and did — bring something to the table and no offering was too small.
Together, they were not only able to move the individuals forward in their life journeys, but also strengthen each other and the intensity of their personal prayer lives along the way.
While it takes compassion, grace, kindness, mercy and empathy to have the courage to open our hearts to the messiness of this world, those critical of such a move might describe it as having a “bleeding heart.”
We can actually embrace that description if the “bleeding” is from the blood of Christ and an outflow of Him in us.
At that point, all we have to do is follow His lead. Imagine the difference the Church as a whole could make if all of us who claim Him as Lord released our grip and truly gave Him the reins of our daily lives.
On pages 16 and 17, the ministers sharing the Bible study commentaries share more on this topic.
“When you consider the price Jesus paid for our pardon, the agony He endured and the love He has for us, it should compel us to share this with others,” Bobby McKay writes.
Mark Rathel notes, “We should focus on glorifying Christ by our lifestyle of love, hospitality, lack of complaining and serving others. … What impact does the empty tomb have on your life each day?”
Jesus explains
In Matthew 25:31–40, Jesus tells the disciples:
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Jennifer Davis Rash, president and editor-in-chief of TAB Media Group. This editorial will appear in the April 10 edition of The Baptist Paper. Click here to subscribe.
