Daily Verse: Titus 3:1-2

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.

 

I have lost count of the number of times I have walked past an opportunity to help someone in need and then regretted it afterward. I am convinced that God intentionally places us on paths each day that bring us in contact with people in need. It could be someone that just needs an ear to listen, someone with a grumbling stomach in need a few dollars for a meal, or someone without a job struggling to pay the bills. In the text above, Paul instructs the people to “be ready to do whatever is good”. What if we greeted each day with the mindset that we were going to serve the Lord? What if we walked through each day with our eyes and ears open to help those around us? What if we stood ready to do good with each day, instead of walking around in our isolated bubbles focused on serving self only? When we do stop and allow the Lord to work through us, the impact we make on the other person and the joy we experience in return often exceeds expectations by a mile. When the Holy Spirit enters into the mix, all the excuses that we make to justify walking on by seem to melt away…and all our focus and energy is centered on sharing the love of Christ with that one person. Sure, “sharing the love of Christ” can seem awfully cliché, intangible, and confusing…but all it means is mirroring the way Christ lived. The New Testament is filled with examples of how Jesus reached out to those in need…especially those that the world had cast aside as dirty, unimportant, or useless. Now we aren’t expected to step into the day with the goal of changing the world like Christ did…that’s not our job nor is it in our skillset. All we need to do is change one life, and our efforts are completely worthwhile. If we can shine the light of Jesus on one soul, and make the day better for that one single person, then we are serving the Lord in a mighty way. Just think…what if we were that one person in need? What if we were that one person looking for something good to happen in their day? When we felt the love of Christ, we would think it was pretty dang significant. May we be ready to do good with each new day, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead and strengthen us to do the work of the Lord! To God be the glory!