Reconcile and Relate
One of the most important ways we can help others is by helping them with their own relationships with God.
Many of us have an internal desire to help other people, should it be within our capacity to do so. Helping others is one way for us to imitate our Lord Jesus who "came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matt. 20:28 ESV). Serving others sacrificially was at the very core of what Jesus came to do on earth. And so, it makes sense that we, as followers of Christ, would possess a similar desire in us to serve others too.
There are plenty of ways that we can serve others. We can help out at a food bank. We can donate clothing and other necessities. We can lend a helping hand to someone in need. We can drive people to and from appointments. We can tutor kids. We can listen to stories and be with people through their tough times.
One of the most important ways we can help others is by helping them with their own relationships with God. Isn't this one of the most valuable things that a person can possess: a close and vibrant relationship with Christ? With a strong relationship with God in tow, people can go through all sorts of circumstances in a godly manner with the help and power of the Holy Spirit. And so, helping people with their own relationships with God is always a worthy cause.
In fact, we've been entrusted with what the Bible refers to as the "ministry of reconciliation" (find it in 2 Cor. 5:18-21). Jesus has already done the work for us on the cross so that people can be reconciled to God. This reconciliation to God is already made available to people. A lot of people simply don't know this. The ministry of reconciliation is simply declaring to people that they can be reconciled to God because of Jesus' death on the cross and His resurrection. If a person isn't reconciled to God yet, one of the most important ways we can help them is by explaining to them that they can have this reconciliation. If they repent from their sins and turn to God, all their sins are forgiven and they can have an everlasting friendship with Him.
After a person reconciles to God, we can then help them relate to God well every single day. We can help them grow the friendship that they now have with Christ. This includes helping them learn how to pray, read and study Scripture, worship, and engage in spiritual practices such as contemplation.
It's great to serve people in any way we can. Serving is at the heart of what we do as followers of Christ. But don’t forget that the most important way we can serve people is by helping them reconcile to God and relate to Him well. These are things that will ultimately have an impact for all eternity.
Barnabas the Monastic
Servant of Christ. Husband. Dad. Modern Monastic. I have a wild ambition in life: get as close to the Lord Jesus Christ as I can while on earth. I explore and integrate ancient Christian monk wisdom in modern everyday life. Lives in Canada.
