Love Helps Those Who Cannot Help Themselves

 

I was scanning radio stations recently and caught an old country song by Paul Overstreet with the title of this blog post. I don't often listen to secular music but when the cd player is broke and the talk radio station won't come in any longer, you find something to break up the silence. I think this particular song is a good one and I hadn't heard it in many years. It got me thinking about a possible blog post. 

The title is such a true statement. Love is something that happens when a body reaches out to help another who is unable to help themselves in a particular moment of time. It may be as simple as giving a hand to help them up a flight of steps or as extensive as loaning or giving money during a crisis. Maybe it's giving a hug or holding during a time of fear or extreme sadness. 

All of these examples are biblical. We see time and again in the bible where we are to have compassion on the needy. 

1 John 3:17 - But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 

Deut. 15:11 - For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land. (I'd like to point out that this verse reminds us that we will always have poor and needy people. Try as we may, there will never be equality as some think they will force. Neither do any commandments in the bible give permission to the governmental system to take from some and decide to give to others. We as INDIVIDUALS are to decide how and when to disperse to others)

There is the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. This is when the Lord is explaining "Love thy neighbour as thyself". 

These verses and the song referred to are very convicting. Empathy tugs at our heart strings and our emotions but compassion puts empathy into action. I've said this before, a clenched fist cannot give. It takes an open hand and an open heart to have compassion on someone in need and act. 

Romans 13:10 - Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. 

Let's remember to help those who cannot help themselves and show forth the love of Christ.