It’s so easy to get caught up in our own little world. There are bills to pay, children to care for, work, who’s on Facebook, what’s on Twitter, and a million other activities that that distract us from one super important task. That’s the task of seizing oppor-TUNE-IN-ties to minister to this dying world.
Oh you might say, I m not a minister. While it’s true that the word minister can refer to church clergy. But according to Vocabulary.com, minister also means “to attend to the wants and needs of others”.
Nevertheless, proper titles aren’t necessary when “TUNING-IN” to help someone. Way back in Bible days, a priest (a man of God) saw a wounded man lying on the ground and passed by on the other side. Next, a Levite, another “servant of God” saw the man and passed by on the other side (Luke 10:25-37).
Although these servants of God had the proper titles, they were so focused upon their own agendas that they missed the oppor-TUNE-IN-i-ty to serve God by helping someone else.
Just in case you’re thinking to yourself, I would never do that – STOP. Take an honest moment to examine yourself. You’ll probably find that you have also missed opportunities to serve the Lord as you busily focused upon your own plans. I certainly have.
Perhaps it was the time you rode the elevator with someone who looked as though they were having a terrible day. You wondered why they looked so upset but didn’t bother to ask. Later you discovered that their family had experienced a crisis. Maybe it was the little old lady that you quickly passed as she slowly crossed the street with her overloaded shopping cart. After she fell, you realized that you should have helped her cross. Another missed opportunity.
Or just maybe it was the incident with your child. In anger, you disciplined him/her openly as his/her friends watched instead of using the opportunity to take him aside to teach him/her how to exercise self control. Yes, even disciplining your children can become an oppor-TUNE-In-ty to help your child and simultaneously honor the Lord.
As we TUNE-IN (draw near to) the Lord, may He quicken our spirits, helping us to seize every opportunity that He provides to honor Him by helping others. Help us Lord!
“Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”Matthew 25:37-40 KJV http://bible.com/1/mat.25.37-40.kjv
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