God's Glory Church

“The wise man sees evil and hides, but the foolish go and punish themselves.” — Proverbs 22:3

The sight was terrible. A pod of fifty-five whales washed up on a Scottish beach. Volunteers tried to save them, but they eventually died. No one knows why such mass strandings occur, but it may be related to the strong social bonds between whales. If one gets into trouble, the others come to the rescue – a caring instinct that, ironically, can lead to tragedy.

The Bible calls us to help others, but we must be wise in the way we help. If we want to restore someone who has fallen into sin, we must be careful not to be drawn into that sin ourselves (Gal. 6:1). And while we are to love our neighbors, we are also to love ourselves (Matt. 22:39). In the Book of Proverbs it is said: “A wise man sees evil and hides, but fools go and be punished” (Prov. 22:3). It’s a good reminder of when helping others starts to hurt ourselves.

Several years ago, two needy people started visiting our church. Before long, the caring members of the church began to wear themselves out responding to all their requests. So, the church decided to set reasonable limits in assistance. Jesus, our best Helper, made time for rest (Mr. 4:38), and He made sure that the needs of His disciples were not superseded by the needs of others (Mr. 6:31). By taking care of our own health, we will be able to take care of others even more in the long run.

How to recognize your need for rest and shelter? What helps you to serve others for a long time?

Holy Spirit, please empower me to serve others in a healthy, sustainable way.

Author: Sheridan Voysey