Give A Hand Up

Matt 25:35-46
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
NIV


I get the sense that God has a soft spot for the poor and the weak. Many times in Gods word it speaks of helping the poor, the sick the imprisoned.
(Prov.11:12, 14:21,31, 17:5, 22:2,16 Psalms 12:5, 41:1) just to grab a few.
Could it be that they are most willing and ready to receive Him?

In different recovery groups they talk about "hitting a bottom" what they mean by that is they were at the place in there addiction that they could not go any lower, they had hit rock bottom. They had most likely lost it all,Jobs, friends family, money, house everything you can lose, they did. They became the poor the weak the sick and imprisoned, desperate for help, a hand up, in need of a savior.

On the flip side, the people who are running through life with all the possessions they can imagine, money fame, houses, multiple streams of income, family and an over abundance of friends are under the illusion that they have it under control and have no need of any help. Go ahead I dare you, go tell them they need a savior to help them and most will arrogantly laugh at you and say they don't need anything Life is good.

One of the first things we learned as we came to the saving Knowledge of Christ as our savior is humility, and our desperate need for Him, and I can almost guarantee, that most of you came to a sort of bottom when He reached down and gave you a hand up. That's because that is when our hearts are the most ready, when we have nothing left to be prideful over and throw ourselves at the foot of the cross.

How many times have we passed up an opportunity to give a hand up to someone in need? You never know how God will use that to transform someones life for eternity.

Ephesians 5:1
Follow God's example in everything you do, because you are his dear children.


It was said once that the only time we should look down on someone is when reaching down to give them a hand up!