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DO I GIVE AS GOOD AS I GET?
One of the most memorable statements that the Lord Jesus made is not found recorded in the Gospels, but rather in the book of Acts. In Acts 20:35 Paul is recorded as saying to the Ephesian elders, “I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” All of us receive so much; I wonder if we give as good as we get. (I know this is grammatically improper, but it makes the point efficiently.)
In the life of a congregation of the Lord’s people, there will be good times and bad, especially as a congregation grows numerically. There will be times when the congregation experiences very little sickness or other trying situations, and there will be times when many of its members are sick or suffering in some other way. It is thrilling to see brethren rally to the side of those who need help, and truly demonstrate that the love we feel for one another is real and not just spoken. I am reminded of the words from 1 John 3:17-23, “But whoso hath this world’s goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things which are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment.”
What has John told us? He has told us that we can assure our hearts by the reality of our love one for another. If we move beyond just talking about loving one another, to manifesting that love in deed and in truth, we can still our hearts, set them at rest, knowing that we are abiding by the standard of righteousness that the Lord has left us.
In 2 Corinthians 8 the Apostle Paul was encouraging the Corinthian brethren to be liberal in their giving to ease the burden of other brethren. In verses 13-15 he wrote, “For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: as it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.”
Paul’s point in this passage was that those impoverished brethren might have their needs supplied by the brethren who were able to do so that there might be equality. Not a “ledger-like” equality—one for you and one for me; but an equality that was a relief from the burden of want. Then if a time came when the situation was reversed, those brethren who had been helped would reciprocate, relieving the burden of the Corinthians. That is the practical beauty of love among the brethren.
Who among us has not benefited from the love of the brethren? So many of us have known the joy of brethren coming to visit us in the hospital when we were sick, or having food brought to our homes at some time of crisis when we were unable to take care of that ourselves. So many of us have known the comfort of telephone calls made simply to tell us that someone was thinking about us and that we were in their prayers. So many of us have had the strong shoulders of brethren to place our weary heads upon and weep when weeping seemed to be the only thing we could do. So many of us have known the peace that comes from brothers and sisters in Christ saying, “I am here if you need me. What can I do?”
Do we give as good as we get? Remember that Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” The person that I see in the mirror every morning has been blessed. Do I demonstrate my love for the brethren as they have demonstrated theirs toward me? Do I go to the hospital and visit the sick, or sit with a family when surgery is going on if I can? Do I prepare food for those whose lives are just a little too hectic at the moment to be able to take care of that? Have brethren done it for me in the past? Will I pick up the phone and brighten a shut-in’s day or drop them a little note of concern?
I believe that reciprocating the love of the brethren in real practical ways is like saying, “Thank you” to the Lord for all that He has done. Remember that Jesus also said, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40). He said as well, “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. (Matthew 25:46)
--Greg Litmer
