Doesn’t it warm your heart when you see and hear about people quietly helping others in amazing ways? These people are not looking for any recognition or even for anything in return. They are simply serving someone else with a heart of humility and love.
Recently, I heard of two such instances via two emails, one after the other. The first was from my husband’s cousin, telling us with joy and excitement—and a good dose of humour—about their interesting adventures of the past few weeks. She and her husband had just returned home from a trip to North Queensland when they received a call from a friend, asking if they could possibly head to a quite remote property in Central Queensland for a few weeks, in order to help an eighty-year-old man trying to manage on his own, after his wife’s death. He needed to get to hospital for an operation, followed by rehabilitation—could they look after his property for a while?
Not only did this couple go, but, while there, they thoroughly cleaned inside the house, replaced rotted window sills, painted doors, railings and other bits and pieces, cleaned up the yard and workshop, took old cars to the dump, fixed tractors, put up wire mesh on verandas—and completed so many other difficult jobs. Also, one day, they drove to four other nearby properties, one after the other, to deliver a special gift hamper to each from a lady in their church. In previous years, they had made contact with these folk through helping to deliver truckloads of hay to them during drought time—and now someone from the city was still touching their hearts through this ministry of love.
My second email was just as moving. This particular friend shared with me how she and her husband had been caring for their adult daughter for weeks, travelling to and from where she lives, in order to bathe and dress some huge ulcers on her feet. Then when the ulcers had healed a little and she was back at work, they faithfully drove her to work each day and returned in the afternoon to take her home. This couple does all this, despite the fact that my friend is herself in a wheelchair. Her husband has cared for her too for many, many years and continues to do so. Yet these folk always appear bright and happy—the love of God truly shines through them both.
I am sure you could add many other similar amazing stories to these, just as I can. For example, each week, people from our church put on a barbecue lunch in a park in Parramatta, in order to feed homeless folk or those not doing so well in life. Others I know help rescue and retrain girls overseas who have been trafficked for prostitution. Still others care for orphans in countries where there are few resources. The list goes on. All these people are amazing—and they give of themselves time and time again in extraordinary ways, to reflect God’s love to others with a humble, servant heart.
I want to be like that—don’t you?
… Serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” Galatians 5:13-14
Amazing and inspiring story!
Thanks, Lori–I thought so too! It’s so lovely to hear such stories–it kind of multiplies the blessing, in my opinion.
Yes it’s wonderful Jo-Anne to hear of the Faithfulness of those who put others first, I thought of the Scriptures below that share about the final reward for those who Love and care for others but not just in words but in deeds too who take an interest in the lives of others and encourage them in their service for The Lord, when we do this for others we are doing it for Jesus .
Matthew 25 : 31 -45 When the Son of Man shall come in His glory and all the Holy Angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the Throne of His glory. And before Him shall be gathered all Nations and He shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. And He shall set the sheep on His right hand but the goats on the left.
Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand; Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat, I was thirsty and ye gave me drink, I was a stranger and ye took me in. Naked, and ye clothed me, I was sick and ye visited me, I was in Prison and ye came unto me. 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.
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger and ye took me not in naked and ye clothed me not: sick and in prison and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him saying Lord when saw we thee an hungred or athirst or a stranger or naked, or sick or in prison and did not minister unto thee?Then shall he answer them saying; Verily I say unto you Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me.And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the Righteous into life eternal.
Philippians 2:2-4 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same Love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Christian Love and Blessings – Anne.
Thanks, Anne, for sharing those verses-very sobering as well as encouraging indeed.