Be The Hand

“For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited me in; I needed clothes, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you looked after me, I was in prison, and you came to visit me.” Matthew 25:35-36

Many times, we may get into a mindset of “How can I be blessed?” Or, “How will my needs get met?” However, God wants you to look around and be the hand that blesses others. He wants you to be the hand that helps the single mother, or the waitress in the restaurant, or the friend who is really struggling. God may whisper to you, “Go up to that person in the grocery store and pay for their bill,” or “Go tell that family that you’re going to buy them Christmas this year.” Desire to be the hands that help feed the hungry, clothe the poor, and reach out to the prisoners. It is more blessed to give than to receive. 

In 1 Kings 17, the prophet Elijah was about to starve to death, and God said, “Go to Zarephath. I’ve commanded a widow there to sustain you.” When Elijah arrived, the widow was cooking her last meal, but he said, “Make me a cake first.” God often will test you to see if you will trust Him with your finances and giving even when times are hard. The widow gave him her last meal, and God fed her for three and a half years! The same God who is able to feed thousands with three loaves and two fish will provide for you exceedingly above all you could ask or think.

In Mark 12, Jesus notices the giving spirit of a widow woman. “Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then, a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.’”

God will notice when you take your eyes off of your own needs and start meeting others’ needs. As God sees that He can trust you with the little you have, He will bless you with more. You are never more like Jesus than when you are meeting another person’s needs.

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