Three Ways to “Help”

"Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly
entertained angels."¹ - Hebrews 13:1-1

In his devotional Strength for Today, for January 14th, MacArthur suggested three ways believers can demonstrate their love for those around them:

“First, you can simply “be there” as a friend to encourage the other person when he is in trouble.” - This is an expression speaking directly of the "brotherly love" that we have been talking about.  It could take many particular forms, depending on the specific person we are talking (the one receiving the help).  As such, we must be sensitive to mould it to the needs of the individual we have in view.  But that does not mean that the meaning of what we are doing changes one whit.  We are still doing the same thing, in essence, as directed by God's Word.  The difference is not one of interpretation, but one of application. 

That is a key thing in our understanding.  That is why we, as conservatives and fundamental, Reformed people "fight" over these things and seek to stand strong for the authority and the inspiration and the other foundational matters concerning the Bible.  Unless the Bible is, indeed, the revealed, spoken Word of God, we are on our own, making it up as we go along.

Maybe that's why it seems like that to so many unredeemed people that are looking on from the bleachers...perhaps if we took a stand, went back and examined just what the Bible says about itself, and were willing to allow it speak for itself and then affirmed what God already said, taking the place He has assigned to us, instead of seeking to be revealers ourselves, we might see a better result!

“…by giving direct help.” - Direct help must follow encouragement, and it must follow encouragement that given Biblically and from a heart that is seeking to serve and glorify God.  Remember, our goal is not ONLY to meet the need of the person we are helping.  That is a significant goal, surely.  But the overarching goal of the glory of God and lifting up the Name of the Lord Jesus must be served here as well.  In fact, that goal must come first, meaning that there will be times when the second goal is sacrificed on the alter of the first!
How hard is that?  It also means that there will be times we will give, when we will do in order to glorify God when we normally would not - because the glory of God is at stake and we are His servants and our well being comes second (third in this case!).  Remember that we tools that God uses to accomplish the task of accomplishing His purposes in the world. 

Some will argue that God will never ask us to give that beyond which we are able.  That is almost certainly NOT true.  All throughout the Bible ask His people to give that which they, at least from their perspective, could never recover.  Sometimes God saw to it that they got it back, sometimes they never did (until glory that is!).  Sacrificial giving is a hallmark of the faith - not just to the Church as an institution - but in secret and in the matter of hospitable, "brotherly love" matters as well.  God and the testimony of the Gospel seeks to be advanced and the "non-verbal means of our conduct among those around us is perhaps THE major witness to the truth what our lips say to those to whom God sends us.

“…through prayer.”. - I have come to believe that the Bible is not so much talking about long and eloquent, wordy prayers as the simple matter of  "remembering" those who around us or who are working for the Lord.  The word used means "mention".  We get our word "mnemonic" from it.  It means to remember or to keep thinking about again and again.  It is in the imperative voice and is, thus a command.  It is not talking about the idea of rote memory, mechanical memorization.  Galatians 2:10 uses the word to talk about "remembering the poor" and Rev. 18:5 uses the word to talk about God remembering the sins of Babylon the great at the time of the end.  Paul says that he "remembers without ceasing" the Thessalonians work on his behalf.  So this is not just recalling a memory verse.  It is remembering and responding, mentioning, doing something as a result. 

In this case, we remember and we pray.  Actually, there is nothing greater that we can do, is there?  Contrary to the colloquial perception of what prayer is, a comforting, but basically useless activity that has for its' aim the benefit of prayer much more than the actual accomplishment of any heavenly intercession.  How sad and again, how directly attributable to the view that the Bible is really a human book and man is really the be all and end all of things and that God is really about seeing to it that he is happy and contented.
it is little wonder that man's view of God and His desire for the world is twisted an skewed today...But there is hope and it is wrapped up in a return to the Bible and a simple commitment to Biblical truth!  If we will be return to reading and believing what God has said and doing what He has commanded - naive as it sounds, He will accomplish His purpose and do what He has set out do in our lives and the lives of those around us.  It really isn't up to us - and thankfully so!

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[1] This year I am often using MacArthur’s devotional “Strength for Today” as a starting point for my comments. Quotes from MacArthur’s Devotional are in boldface.