Read: Luke 17:11-19
It is great to help other people, especially those in need. What a blessing it is to follow the ways of Jesus and take time out of your day to lend a helping hand to someone. In Luke 17:11-19 Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem when ten men with leprosy called out to him from a distance and said, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” Jesus could have ignored their plea and continued on his way, but that is not who Jesus is. He acknowledged their need and provided help.
Giving of our money is important and needed, but giving of our time is a much more personal way to reach out to people. We need to think creatively how we can follow this example that Jesus left us to be light and hope in a world that has many people in need. How can we make that a part of our individual lives and a part of our family’s sense of call as well?
A Time magazine article says, “volunteer with your children so it doesn’t come at the expense of family time. Interacting with the people you’re helping will cultivate your kids’ sense of empathy, and yours too.” It will also be a great opportunity to share with your children the many examples in the Gospels of Jesus helping others.
Lauren Bush in that same Time article writes, “I have friends who go every week to the same soup kitchen to volunteer, that’s extremely rewarding when people can regularly engage with not only a single cause but a single community center, hospital, soup kitchen, wherever it might be.” The truth is, we often come away blessed ourselves by being a blessing to others.
In Matthew 25 Jesus speaks words that help us understand his actions in Luke 17 and so many other stories in the Gospels. Jesus tells his disciples, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Who are you supposed to help and give your time to this week?
Make it Personal: It’s easy to give money to areas of need. While that is definitely needed we also need to give people our time. Sometimes that means helping physically with a need, other times it is just sitting down and listening to someone who is going through a difficult time. When people give of their time they rarely regret it later on.
