MISERY OR MINISTRY?

“And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas,(which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, Having land sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles feet.”-Acts 4:36-37   About 100 years ago a preacher said, “This is the most corrupt age the world has ever seen.” That echoed what many others had said many years before and it has been repeated many times since. So, who is right? Perhaps they were all right. All had a good reason for feeling as they did, because “evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse”(2 Tim. 3:13). The world is on a downhill slide!   Regardless of the time in which a person lives, the world is wicked, days are difficult, and times are tough. That’s life– “of few days and full of trouble.”(Job 14:1).Our burdens are heavy and the battle is fierce. For many it is more shadow than sunshine, more winter than spring, and their hopes fade like the flowers after being touched by the frost. Many are driven to despair. So, how do we respond?   As bad as life is, here’s the good news–we always have an opportunity to be an encourager. There is always someone whose difficulty is our door of opportunity. Their misery becomes our means of serving God, by ministering to their needs. Let us not add to the burdens of others by treating them unkindly, nor neglect them with calloused indifference, nor join them in their pity party, by constantly harping about the difficulties and unfairness of life. May we instead come to their side as encouragers and helpers, pouring courage into their soul and hope into their heart, showing them the difference that Christ can make in a person’s life. We have more than enough discouragers. We need more encouragers–people who care enough to get involved in the lives of others, people who are focused on ministry rather than misery. How about it–will you sign-up for service today? Someone needs you! Go, encourage them in Jesus name.