Recently I was reflecting upon a time when I volunteered at a Salvation Army. It was just a week before Thanksgiving a few years ago and worked in the kitchen. I would not normally mention "doing alms." However, because it was a social service college assignment that was required, it wasn't exactly the same thing..
While I was there, I do remember that certain workers seemed really dedicated to thier work of feeding and sheltering those in need. However, a few of the "paid" workers didn't seem to really be as passionate about the job as others.
Prior to this, I also had the opportunity to get to know a little old lady, an ordained minister of the Church of God, who ran a mission in Detroit. It was so obvious to anyone who knew her that she genuinely cared about each person.
I was thinking about the differences I saw at the two missions tonight, and then I remembered certain words of the Apostle Paul.
"And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." - 1 Corinthians 13:3
I think we make a serious area if as Christians we only pay attention to what we are doing in service for God, and not what is in our heart, that is to say, what our motivations are.
"But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man:" - Jesus
Jesus did not do away with the law, but he brought it to a higher level. Now its not just don't kill, but if you hate you have committed murder. It's not just don't commit adultery, but if you lust with your eyes you have already committed adultery.
Our relationship and love of God starts inwardly. If we love him we keep his commandments in our hearts. If the commandments are not in our hearts we can't say we really have a relationship with Him. The two go hand in hand.
So let us examine ourselves under the microscope of the Word of God that we may seek to serve God and our fellow man in sincerity and indeed, and not in hypocrisy, nor just in word.
While I was there, I do remember that certain workers seemed really dedicated to thier work of feeding and sheltering those in need. However, a few of the "paid" workers didn't seem to really be as passionate about the job as others.
Prior to this, I also had the opportunity to get to know a little old lady, an ordained minister of the Church of God, who ran a mission in Detroit. It was so obvious to anyone who knew her that she genuinely cared about each person.
I was thinking about the differences I saw at the two missions tonight, and then I remembered certain words of the Apostle Paul.
"And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." - 1 Corinthians 13:3
I think we make a serious area if as Christians we only pay attention to what we are doing in service for God, and not what is in our heart, that is to say, what our motivations are.
"But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man:" - Jesus
Jesus did not do away with the law, but he brought it to a higher level. Now its not just don't kill, but if you hate you have committed murder. It's not just don't commit adultery, but if you lust with your eyes you have already committed adultery.
Our relationship and love of God starts inwardly. If we love him we keep his commandments in our hearts. If the commandments are not in our hearts we can't say we really have a relationship with Him. The two go hand in hand.
So let us examine ourselves under the microscope of the Word of God that we may seek to serve God and our fellow man in sincerity and indeed, and not in hypocrisy, nor just in word.
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