Hidden Acts of Kindness

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How sensitive are we to the needs of others? A number of years ago I had a friend, Sally, who appeared very kind and helpful. As I got to know her better I discovered that her kind acts were to impress others. She was always sharing about the good things she had done No helping acts would ever go unnoticed and explained to anyone who would listen. These things would put her in a good light, not necessarily help the person involved.

At the same time I had a friend, Debra, who was quiet and retiring. I knew of the kind things she had done for me but it wasn’t until her funeral that other people shared what she had done for them. So many people had been helped by her in so many ways.

Reflecting about Sally and Debra made me think, do I help on the hospital chaplaincy team because I enjoy it or do I care about the visitors and patients? Is the time spent with the young people at church because I love them and their souls or is it because it is a pleasant way of spending Sunday mornings.? Furthermore, do I let people know what i do and seek recognition? Jesus gave us a cautionary reminder ‘they already have their reward.’ I would rather have crowns to cast at the feet of Jesus.

Through Christ

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Some of the words in our modern worship songs are really powerful. The refrain of one we sang last Sunday keeps going through my head. ‘Yet not I but Christ in me.’ Pride is a worldwide problem, it has existed since the beginning of time. In fact right at the beginnin, the devil thought he was equal to God and as we know he was cast out of heaven with the fall of mankind following.

Pride still accounts for disasters today. It is pride that causes some of the world leaders to think they are better and more powerful than others and therefore feel they have the right to invade others countries.

It is not only world leaders, what about me, what about you? We so easily take full pride and credit for what we have achieved. Although we have gifts and talents, it is by being yoked with Christ that we achieve. As Jesus Himself said, ‘My yoke is easy and my burden is light.’ It is through Christ Himself that we achieve.

Trust

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With the young children on Sunday we were talking about Abraham and the young Isaac and the trust they had to have in God . Abraham told Isaac that God would provide a sacrifice and his trust was rewarded. God did provide..

We did some trusting activities with the children and then we settled down to handicrafts. One of the tasks was to paint a small stone with the word TRUST. I took part in this and painted my stone accordingly. This is now placed outside my front door of my new home. My plan is that when anyone asks me about it I will ask them ‘What do you put your trust in? Because it has been raining solidly since Sunday no-one has yet come to my front door. I want to be able to tell people I put my trust in God but like the saints in the Bible I’m going to have to be patient. This witness business is not easy.

A Healed Relationship

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It is understandable that we like some people more than others, even in church. It is no good thinking we can be equally friendly with everyone. But what do we do when there is a person in church that we positively dislike. I hardly dare admit that this happened to me a while ago.

There was this lady in my church, an admirable Christian, who really annoyed me. She would insist on telling me and others how to run our own lives. She would begin each sentence with ‘What you ought to do is ………’This made me cross, I’ve been running my own life for years. It obviously is a sore point with me.

So I did what I should have done in the first place. I prayed about, I prayed really hard. And wonderfully, God did answer my prayers. This lady didn’t change at all; but after my constant prayers, I am no longer annoyed by her attitude. I can truthfully say that she is one of my best friends now. My attitude has completely changed, which is only the result of prayer.

A.M.O.S.

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I love mixing with teenagers, they have so much to teach me. In my usual way I was chatting to them the other day, going on about this and that and doing others thing at the same time. One of them looked at me and said ‘You want an A.M.O.S, D.E.A.R.

I stopped in my tracks what was an AMOS and why were they calling me DEAR? It seems that at the school they all go to, as a group activity, they have A Moment of Stillness. What a wonderful idea and what good training. That still left me to wonder about the meaning of DEAR. The answer, Drop Everything And Read. As a writer I thoroughly agree with that!

I now want a period of stillness to improve my devotions and drop everything and read the Bible. There is so much I can learn from those who are a fraction of my age.

Your Brother

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I love the way that some of the letters in the New Testament, concerning the early church contain such practical messages. They also show that mankind hasn’t changed since those days. Some of the problems that were faced in those days are still with us to this present time.

We read in Romans, ‘Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.’ Yes, that warning is applicable today for us today. I have noticed that on Songs of Praise, on some occasions, people of importance sit proudly in the front row, sporting large hats (the women that is, not the men of course!)

I’m sure I’m not innocent of pride. Do I stop to consider the homeless man begging in the street? When one talks to them, they say something like,’ I made one mistake, lost my job and my home, took drugs and ended up in prison. Now look where I am? We are possibly all one step away from making that one mistake. As Christians we must not be conceited, what have we got to be proud of; everything we have is by the grace of God. We need to be thoughtful of the lonely, kind to the homeless and giving to the hungry. The sad and suicidal need our compassion, the compassion that is only contained in Christ. Whoever is needy who crosses our path, needs our love. It is the love of Christ constrains us. .

Be Still

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‘Slow down,’ ‘Catch your breath.’ These are phrases constantly being thrown at me. But I feel there is so much to do at present, but maybe I should take notice of these kind admonitions. I find the young people of today are always rushing around; they speak at speed, run here and there and seldom have time for a proper conversation. Then maybe it’s a case of the pot calling the kettle black or ‘mote and plank.’ How can I criticize when I’m obviously a bad.

So long as our heart is healthy there is probably no harm in rushing around and it does get more done. But, I ask, does our rushing around mean there is less time for God and for thinking time.

Listening

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As I’ve moved into a new home, I now have new neighbours; oh, how I miss the old ones! Of course all my new neighbours are absolutely lovely, but there has to be one exception.

This dear lady never, ever listens. Her conversations are monologues. Even if I ask her a question, she continues on her own way. It is not a hearing problem either. It is almost impossible to get away from her and I frequently have to walk away in her mid paragraph. If it is loneliness, I’ve tried giving her quality time but it makes no difference.

When I was a young person, we had a trick for coping with such occasions. During the torrent of words, we would say ‘ I murdered my grandmother last night.’ There was never any response. As I’m in my 80’s now, I obviously can’t use that phrase any more.

Does God feel like that with us? Do we go on and on requesting but never listening? Is God waiting to speak to us but not able to get a word in edge ways?

Out of Touch

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Since I moved a few days ago I’ve been out of touch without a working television, computer or landline. This has meant I’ve spent my time reading three very interesting books.

I started with ‘Just Walk across the Room’ by Bill Hybels. The idea is that when we see someone alone, under God’s guidance, we just walk across the room and start a conversation with them. God will steer the talk in the right direction. We just need to do the walking.

Secondly I read ”Invest Your Suffering’ by Paul Mallard. His wife Edrie has had a painful illness, similar to M.S. for over 20 years, With much weeping and soul-seeking, they have dedicated their suffering to the Lord and His glory.

Finally, I read the autobiography of Gipsy Smith, a gipsy boy who was wonderfully converted when a teenager and went on to become well-known evangelist in many parts of the English-speaking world. He worked for a time with General Booth of the Salvation Army and the American evangelists Moody and Sankey.

Then fortunately, or unfortunately my computer and phone were re-connected and now my reading time is limited.

Herod the Great

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What is greatness? Herod earned the name of Great in part because of his building regime. During his time in power he completed a number of building projects, including those in and around Jerusalem, especially the temple. He had been proclaimed King of the Jews, so it was no wonder that he took fright when the Magi asked about a similar named person.

There are two types of greatness, human created greatness and divine greatness. The human type attempts to rob God of His power. Looking at psalm 145:3 we read ‘great is the Lord and most worthy of praise.’ The life of Jesus shows the highest form of greatness. For our sake He became poor. Philippians 2:6 ‘He did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage……….. He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death -even death on a cross.’

We are called to greatness only because we are made in the image of God but we mustn’t be tempted to be great in our own strength. We need to consider who is on the throne in our own lives.