“Anything Helps”

For as far back as I can remember, I’ve always been reminded of our religious duty as believers to share the gospel with the lost.  And I believe most Christians do have an earnest desire to witness but find it most challenging for fear of failure.  I too for a longtime have fallen in that category yet have been pleasantly surprised to find that it does not have to be challenging at all.  

All that’s required of us is living the surrendered life.  In other words, maintaining the open mindset that God can use me at any existing time and place I presently am in.  He is in the business of saving people, we are just the tools he uses to do the work. Often it may even seem that the impact on that individual is insignificant. But God sees their entire journey, from beginning to the end. 

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. (1 Cor. 3:6 KJV)

 

Notice there’s more than one contributor involved, yet he is the main overseer.  

But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.”

As I write, I am reminded of this guy named Chris.  It was few holiday seasons ago that I went shopping with the girls when we passed this young man on our way into a store.  He was standing outside the door with a “Homeless Anything Helps” type of sign.  On our way out I felt somewhat of an urge to give but I brushed it off quickly and went into my car with the girls.  As I began to drive away the urge became much stronger, such that I felt uncomfortable leaving, therefore I drove to where he was and just gave with a simple “God bless!” 

Well about 8 months later one of my husband’s employee brings this same young man to work, stating he found him on the streets. He has hit rock bottom and was looking for work to get back on his feet. 

Shortly after, I was delivering lunch for my husband and his crew and he was first to recognize that I was the same person that gave to him that one time (I totally forgot what he looked like), and that shook him.  And although he had been working through difficult strongholds in his life, he had stayed with company for quite some time.  My husband had the opportunity to share with him many times thereafter.  At one point my husband met his mother, who in tears had claimed that she hasn’t seen or heard from her only son Chris for many years. She was a believer and has been praying for him all this time.  The fact that he was back in her life, able to maintain a steady job, and in his own apartment was a miracle of itself for her.    

Now we would have to be entirely ignorant not to recognize God at work in Chris’s life. And although he’s no longer in our sphere of influence, we pray and trust that the Lord will complete every good work he began in his life.

Jesus himself always made it a point that he was on a mission to complete the work the father is doing.   

Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. (John 5:19 NIV)

 

and

I can do nothing on my own initiative or authority. (John 5:30 AB)

Initiative simply means to initiate things independently 

We often have this fear that we are expected to “awkwardly” approach someone and begin sharing on our own initiative. But he bids us to submit to him and come be a part of what he is doing.  Best of all it’s never awkward, but on the contrary has a natural flow to it.  

Let thy work appear unto thy servants…(Ps. 90:16 KKV)

I recall the most recent visit I made with the girls to a local recreation center. My daughter had immediately bonded with another child there.  Shortly after her mother had approached me and we began conversing on every possible motherhood subject.  Then we went to our hobbies and careers.  I had not the slightest intention of sharing my beliefs however it was her that initiated the subject. I was pleasantly surprised, and quickly realized it was another one of those encounters God had set.  When we parted, she had shared that her parents were also believers and had long been praying for her salvation, she said everything we had talked about was exactly what she needed to hear. 

I share these examples with slight hesitancy, as I wish not to boast of myself. I entirely recognize that this is the Lord’s work and not my own.  My intent is only to encourage others to do likewise.

 

Supporting texts

The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. (Ps 111:2 KJV)

Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. (Ps. 127:1 NLT)

 

 …apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5 NIV)

 

You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God. (2 Cor. 3:3 NIV)