Platitudes

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”

~Matthew 25:35-40

Recently, I found myself questioning how I responded to the needs of others due to a particular incident. I had talked with someone about the incident and their response was, “I’ll pray for you.” Now, as Christians, that’s a pretty pat answer, and while praying for others is of vital importance, it’s not all we should or could do. I actually wanted a little more in regards to an answer and felt let down that all the other person could offer was “I’ll pray for you.” It sounded like platitudes. 

Jesus was practical in all that He did. While prayer was a part of His life, when it came to others, it wasn’t all He did. In John 4 there is a story about the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus didn’t look at her and say, “I’ll pray for you,” and continue on His way. First, He engaged her in conversation, secondly, He addressed her needs, and third, He revealed Himself to her. In John 6, the crowds had been around Jesus for a long time, it was the Passover and time to eat. Jesus didn’t tell people to go home and grab a bite to eat. First, He addressed their need, second, He provided for that need, and third, He prayed about the need. In John 11, Lazarus was ill, so his sisters sent for Jesus to help him. By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus had died. First, Jesus acknowledged the need, second, He gave the people around the tomb hope, third, He raised Lazarus from the dead. There are many more instances of how Jesus helped those in need by being practical and addressing the need in whatever way would glorify God and point to Himself as the Savior of the world. The application of what Jesus did for others is a lesson for us in how to address the needs of others: 1) Assess the need 2) Address the need 3) Pray about the need.

Jesus also listened to people and engaged them in conversation. He found out what they needed and found a way to help them that wasn’t gratuitous but instead, was life-changing. We can give money to charities for the poor, donate clothing to an outreach, and say we will pray for someone but how life-changing are those acts? Are we actually helping and pointing someone to the Christ? Or are we just making ourselves feel better? I have been guilty of this very thing. I have given money, donated clothing, and said, “I’ll pray for you.” But what did those things really do, other than make me feel better about myself?

When someone is in need whether physically or emotionally, we have a greater duty than to say, “I’ll pray for you.” We have a duty to our Savior to emulate Him and offer practical solutions for any given situation.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing (James 1:22-25).”

Read Ezra 8-10

Weekend Reading Nehemiah 1-3

© 2018 Marie McGaha