Ministry of Mercy
August 21, 2008
I am reading a book by Tim Keller titled Ministries of Mercy. This is a very good book that every Christian should read. Today I came across the quote below.
"Serving the poor is a euphemism for destroying the poor unless it includes with it the intention of seeing the poor begin to serve others, and thereby validate the words of Jesus that it is better to give than to recieve."
This quote was in reference to Paul's instruction to Timothy that the widows who were on the church's permanent support rolls should be known for their good deeds. Not that they deserved the support because they had good deeds, but that receiving mercy should lead them to be merciful to others.
This reminded me of something I witnessed in Brazil this past June. At one of our church plants in Porto Alegre, they were collecting warm clothing to be distributed among the poor. Keep in mind that the vast majority of this church lives in abject poverty. During the middle of winter they were collecting clothing to meet a basic need in their community, and they successfully collected over 500 pieces of clothing. People who had previously received warm clothing from the church were now bringing the same clothing to be distributed among others.
They were sacrificially giving. They would not be as warm as they could have been, in order that others would not be as cold. I pray that I would be willing to give in this way.
I am reading a book by Tim Keller titled Ministries of Mercy. This is a very good book that every Christian should read. Today I came across the quote below.
"Serving the poor is a euphemism for destroying the poor unless it includes with it the intention of seeing the poor begin to serve others, and thereby validate the words of Jesus that it is better to give than to recieve."
This quote was in reference to Paul's instruction to Timothy that the widows who were on the church's permanent support rolls should be known for their good deeds. Not that they deserved the support because they had good deeds, but that receiving mercy should lead them to be merciful to others.
This reminded me of something I witnessed in Brazil this past June. At one of our church plants in Porto Alegre, they were collecting warm clothing to be distributed among the poor. Keep in mind that the vast majority of this church lives in abject poverty. During the middle of winter they were collecting clothing to meet a basic need in their community, and they successfully collected over 500 pieces of clothing. People who had previously received warm clothing from the church were now bringing the same clothing to be distributed among others.
They were sacrificially giving. They would not be as warm as they could have been, in order that others would not be as cold. I pray that I would be willing to give in this way.
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