Daily Bread - TOO HELPFUL?

Too Helpful? April 7, 2012 Our Daily Bread is hosted by Les Lamborn READ: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me. —Psalm 139:23-24 Is it possible to be too helpful? Can our helpfulness actually make life more difficult for others? Yes, if we’re being bothersome, intrusive, smothering, manipulative, or controlling. If the help we are giving is driven only by our own anxiety, we may be just trying to help ourselves. How then can we know if our heart and acts of service are truly symbolic of God’s unconditional love? How can we love from pure motives? (Prov. 16:2; 21:2; 1 Cor. 4:5). In prayer we can ask God to show us any way we are hurting or hindering others (Ps. 139:23-24). We can ask God to help us show love that “suffers long and is kind; . . . is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil” (1 Cor. 13:4-5). Our efforts to help others, especially those we love the most, will never be completely free from anxiety. But we can, by God’s grace, begin to love freely with no strings attached, as God Himself loves. The test, of course, and the measure of our progress, is the way we react when our “helpfulness” is unrecognized or goes unrewarded (see Luke 14:12-14). Lord, help us to love with pure motives and for the good of others. Help us to love unconditionally, expecting nothing in return. —David Roper Please help me, Lord, in all I do To act and think with motives true; And by Your love reveal to me Those sins that only You can see. —D. De Haan In our desire to help, let’s love with pure motives.

disillusioned

sometimes i wonder... why do people criticize others so much... i know we're supposed to have our sights set on heaven.. but then, why do we sometimes turn around and do things that are similar to the world's standards?

when we try to stand up for what is right... we end up being called "naive" and "inexperienced". hmmm.. i'm not sure whether i want to be "experienced" in dealing with the world, where selfishness reign supreme.

"Let your yes be yes, and your no be no"

shouldn't we honor our words? even when circumstances may alter? does this mean that my promise before that is annulled because, "it isn't the same". but what had i promised? shouldn't i stick to that?

moreover, i hold dearly to "do unto others what you would have them do to you". would i want someone to turn their back on me? to break their promise? to give excuses that its a different scenario altogether? NO!

why do people take words so lightly? do they not know the power of words? we've all realized that "sticks and stones may break my bones but words would not hurt me" was coined by a person trying to console him/herself. there is hardly any truth in that saying. so why do we tear people down so easily, without a thought for the person we've directed hurtful words to. its always so much easier to break someone down than to encourage... to build up.

Its so difficult to be a Barnabas.. i guess, sometimes people don't see the need to.. thus, there is no effort put in doing so...