PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING...
“Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which makes a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.’” Mark 12:41-44 (NKJV).
You cannot only be a Christian when things are going good in
your life and you cannot only be a Christian towards those whom you like and
approve of. The whole point of being a Christian is to be Christ-like and
believe me, Jesus was kind to those whom He knew to be sinners and those whom
He would not approve of, which is the reason that He was sent to earth, to save
those who were lost. Jesus gave all that He had down to His last breath, for
us.
Many people take their own lives and situations too
seriously and become defensive and ignore those who are around them. Many
people justify their self-absorption by claiming tragedy, turmoil, victimhood
and obligations. You cannot justify acting nasty or dismissive to others
because you are not in a comfortable situation or in a place of stability. God
tests you on how you behave under pressure, under stress and in the tough
situations. God tests you all of the time and if you really are interested in
how you are doing, just go and read the Sermon on the Mount and see how you
measure up.
The words of Christ when He spoke are not to be dismissed,
they are to be obeyed and that is how you will be tested. God doesn’t want you
to wait until you are happy and financially stable to help another. It is your
suffering that makes you able to have compassion and it is your willingness to
put another before yourself that makes you rich.
Be willing to be a follower of Christ when no one is looking
and be willing to open yourself up to another when they are in need. Not
everyone needs money as charity. There are so many lonely people in this world
that need love and faith. Be willing to offer both freely because God knows
that Jesus always will.
“Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a
trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets,
that they may have the glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their
reward.” Matthew 6:2 (NKJV).
LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN COLLINS
