Being Doers of the Word and not Hearers Only
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
United States
January 7, 2012 12:19pm CST
I got the thought for this discussion over something that was said to me one time. I was talking about it with my Mama Jo recently. It's about when to pray and when to do something.
The bible says to be Doers of the Word …and not just hearers only. So many times we sit on the pew and about all we accomplish is keeping the pew warm. Are you a pew warmer or are you a doer of the Word?
Here is my thought. A man knocked on a person’s door once and said he was thirsty and could he have a drink of water. The woman said, “I will pray for you” and she closed the door in his face. This kind of thing happens a lot. There is an apathetic attitude among Christians, where we judge others according to ourselves.
The bible teaches us if someone is hungry to feed them, and if they are thirsty to give them a drink of water. I know lots of us look at the homeless as something less than human, almost. Not literally, but there is an attitude that individuals put themselves in the position they are in. This is not always true. Many people are just one paycheck from being put out of their homes. So many kids in America still go to bed hungry at night because there isn’t enough food to go around. There is a time to pray for help for a person, but there is also a time to do something to help. What good is it to warm a pew if we never put what we learn into practice?
My thought for this discussion is to ask you to share when you were in need and someone helped you? That person didn’t have to help you, but they did it out of the love in their heart.
I will start with me… There have been times that I had no food and one of my dear friends would send me money. There was also a time years ago when someone told me that God told them to give me some money. Little did that person know that my checking account was overdrawn and I prayed for God to help me fix it.
I have also helped people in the same position that I have been in. I've bought sandwiches for homeless people. I gave my jacket to someone on the street when it was cold. I had more coats.
Please share your story when someone went out of their way to do something for you when you were in need.
1 person likes this
6 responses
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
11 Jan 12
Hi PointlessQuestions, The apostle James, whom you quote here taught much like Jesus himself in the sermon on the mount. Paul, on the other hand, whom many Christian seem to revere, often had a different take on things. The idea that a person would knock on someones door and ask for a drink, only to be told "I'll pray for you", flies in the face of the teachings of Christ. The thought that such a person could consider themselves a Christian is preposterous. It reminds me of the "Christians" of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries who attended church every Sunday, while their ships were on the seas bringing blacks from Africa to be sold as slaves. The only prayer that works is affirmative prayer accompanied by action. The problem with most of Christianity is that it teaches separation, that God is a separate being, instead of the truth that all life, all energy, including God is one.
I have known many real Christians in my lifetime,some who helped me and others I knew, in times of need. They did this quietly and never talked about it or wanted praise. I'm sure they helped many others in their own quiet way as well. I called them real Christians but they could just as well have been real Muslims or real Jews or followers of any other religion. They could also have been atheists, what you say you are doesn't matter, but what your actions show you to be.
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
11 Jan 12
Exactly… it’s the actions of the person. I don’t hold to any one teaching, like many Christians do. We are taught that Jesus is the only door to eternal life. He may be for the Christians, but I wouldn’t discount people of other faiths and even Atheists who have no religious beliefs. I believe our actions tell others what we really believe. We don’t need to spout it out for the multitudes of people.
James 5:16 was a verse that my pastor had us all memorize. The effectual and fervent prayers of a righteous man availeth much. I believe this righteousness is more like sincerity. All we can do is be sincere and helpful to others. I believe people judge folks according to what they judge themselves, and if some think they are better than others, they will look down on others… and there is nothing sincere about that. Helping others to draw attention to oneself isn’t sincere… so I believe a righteous heart is a sincere heart… maybe I’m wrong.. but this is how I feel.
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
8 Jan 12
It has not happened too often where someone went out of their way for me. It is just not something that has ever happened in my life on a regular or sporadic basis. My husband goes out of his way for me. My mom does go out of her way for me sometimes though. My sister does too. No one outside of those people, have done it though. I try to do for others when I can and if they are deserving of it. That may sound mean but the lord also says, to help those who help themselves. If they are trying, then they deserve to be helped.
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
8 Jan 12
I believe, Steph, that the Lord blesses those that bless others. The Lord says to help widows and orphans. They may not be able to help themselves.
@Chevee (5905)
• United States
7 Jan 12
Hi PointlessQuestions. I have been blessed by some of my church members with money recently, I am jobless and have no income and they would give me a little here and a little there. Also I have a neighbor that blessed me the same way and it really blew my mind. I knew it was God. Because I have always been an independent person. And through those blessings I have been able to bless someone too. I have also blessed someone recently with gas money. I got a testimony from a person just yesterday. This person told me that my encouraging words really helped him. Everytime he gets to the point of depression, low-self esteem, or just about to have a pity party he gets a vision of me witnessing to him, and reminding him who and what God can do only if he gave Him (God) a chance. I really saw the change in him and we talked for almost 2 hours and he never said anything negative nor did he throw one of his pity parties. Yes we can be doer of the Word by spreading the Word of God and encouraging others.
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
7 Jan 12
This may be what God has called you to do. To witness to people, and to encourage them. This is wonderful to read that you have been helped and you have been able to help others in turn.
@ravisivan (14079)
• India
8 Jan 12
Helping others -- this quality is inborn-- I do help others to a little extent. Normally I do not help more at a time because it may be misused -- also I am not sure how long I have to live and use whatever I have. So this anxiety makes me help others less. If only we can overcome this all of us will help more.
for example say when we are resigning from an organisation or retiring from an organisation we are tempted to be so good to others and expect others to be good to us. Same tendency applies to life also.
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@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
8 Jan 12
There has been many times I have given my last dollar. I would question God and say 'I hope that was you leading me because now I am broke!' invariably god always made a way. He gave me more work and it just seemed to work out. I've learned to listen to the still small voice within me when I give. I don't try to lean on my own understanding if I am trying to listen for the Lord. It can be difficult because fear and anxiety creeps in.
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
8 Jan 12
hi dear PQ lately I started thinking about my life as how it has been so far. Luckily I never was without shelter or clothes or food. There might not always have been all the stuff available I would have liked but there ever was enough to keep me through the day and the month.
But I had other needs, emotional needs which were met by people who went out of their way just to encourage me and make me feel better about myself. I am thinking of an elderly lady in church who was 50 years older than me and when I had lost my Grandma who had passed away she said, I will replace your Grandma now.
Same when I was, subconsciously, looking for a good role model in a dad and a mom there also was a couple who showed me the same love and concern as if they were my parents. They let me vent when I needed to about how unjust life is sometimes and they were happy with me when I accomplished something. When my own biological mother attended my church wedding 6 years ago cause she was one of the "what will the people think" persons but she never gave us her blessing for marriage, they took a national flight just for a few hours to be there, to show me they approve of what I do and this in fact is the parental blessing which will forever be etched into my heart till the day I hopefully meet them in heaven.
@moneylots87 (521)
• Indonesia
13 Jan 12
I had that experience, when I am in need, my friends give me some money, and i do the same. I think what the most important here is, that we need to build that the faith we had as a tool to helping others not just only by praying but our acts, so we can be like a tool of God to helping others. :)
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
13 Jan 12
Yep that is what it's all about. God uses us to bless people in times of need.
