Caring for others... True love
James 1:26-27
If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless. 27 Pure and undefiled love in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
I was hunting public land on Miller Creek in North central Colorado and I was slowly sneaking back down the trail to the fence that separated the public lane land from our private leased land. Up ahead I caught a glimpse of movement. I stopped and watched intently. After a few seconds I saw an orange hat come up from behind a bush then go down. I walked ahead, making enough noise to alert the hunter that I was coming.
When I got to the young hunter, I saw he was bent over struggling with dressing out a nice mule deer buck. I congratulated him and asked him how he had gotten there as it was a very steep valley on both sides of the bottom, it was all private land down the valley and 2 miles to the nearest road on top. He explained that he had hunted down from the top.
We talked for a few minutes and he explained that this was his first buck ever and he had never dressed a deer before. I assisted him with the task and helped him drag it into the shade of a spruce tree. We marked it with some marking tape and he explained that he and his buddies would come back to get it. Although the rest of my hunt was ruined in that area, I was blessed to have helped the young hunter.
So many times, as we go through our day to day life, we walk past someone in need. We see or hear of a person or a family in "dire straights" yet we go on our way with little thought of helping them.
James tells us in his book that true religion, or in some translations, "true love" or "true Christianity" is this; "to look after orphans and widows in their distress". But not only orphans and widows but anyone is true distress.
Do we not believe that EVERYTHING is under God's control. If we give away something to someone in need... Do we not believe that God can replace it. And if He doesn't replace it, He will allow you to be blessed without it.
Consider the story of Job in the bible. Job lost everything, (family and all riches) however, because he continued to love God through the testing God gave him much more than he had lost.
Trust God... Look out for those in need and love as often as you can. You will always be blessed by it.
Help achieve the mission - GIVE today
Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.