HELPING OTHERS
Before we can help others, we first have to SEE the need. If my neighbor falls in his house, I can't know he needs help. We would know nothing about Haiti's earthquake if the media didn't show us.

Secondly, we have to UNDERSTAND the need. If my neighbor manages to hobble out of his house and stands by the road waving his hand, I may think he's just saying hello. An earthquake is obvious, but the problems caused by desertification in Africa or deforestation in South America may not be.

Thirdly, we have to KNOW what to do and BE ABLE to do it. I can call 911 for my neighbor, but how to help people in the Philippines threatened by a volcano may be beyond my ability to do more than pray for them.

But if we CAN do something, it becomes our human responsibility to DO it whether it is for our neighbor or someone halfway across the planet.

"God will provide." It's become a cliche. You get begging letters in the mail and other genuine legitimate appeals for worthwhile charities, but feel you have nothing left to give. It's true that "charity begins at home," and 1 Peter 4:9 falls on shaking heads if not "deaf ears."

"Be hospitable to one another without grumbling." Yeah, right. The apostles felt the same way in Luke 9: 12-17 when Jesus told them to feed five thousand men (never mind the women and kids!) with five loaves, two fish, and no money. Jesus was relentless. "Give them something to eat. Have them sit down. Set the food before the people."

Well, that's nice, but they had Jesus there helping out!

Still, we can always do something. Even if you have very little. Even if you have "nothing." But we all have something, even if it is nothing more than our time, even if it is nothing less than our faith in and our love of God. God will provide. But we need to step out in faith.