Becoming Patient

Disease. War. Famine. Disaster. Sickness. Poverty. Injustice. Discrimination. Open a newspaper, turn on the TV, or do an Internet search for current events, and at any given time, the world can turn into a depressing and hopeless place.

When Jesus entered our broken world, He gave us an example of what it looks like to truly help others in love. When we were slaves to sin, far from Him, He saved us through His death. When we were poor and our lives were lacking in meaning, through His resurrection, He gave us hope and a purpose in following Him. We are called as Christians to be as Jesus has been to us—light in a dark world (Matthew 5:14-16)—and to share the love He gave us.

Many of us want to make a difference and help others. So we volunteer, donate, and do what we can, but no amount of help seems to be enough. People still go hungry. People are still without homes. Our world is broken by sin, and Jesus said that we will always have the poor among us (John 12:8). Does that mean we should give up on helping others? Not at all!

You may have ten dollars or a hundred dollars to donate to a charity fundraiser. You may have an hour or ten hours to volunteer at a food bank. But God multiplies even the smallest acts done out of love and trust in Him to do great things. Just look at John 6:1-12. The boy’s lunch would’ve barely made a dent in feeding that crowd, but Jesus was at work. That boy’s simple act became part of what Jesus did to bring glory to God that day, which was beyond what the boy and the rest of Jesus’ followers might ever have imagined.

So when you feel discouraged that your love and service to others aren’t enough, remember: a smile can change the course of someone’s day. One encouraging word can give someone a reason to persevere through hardship. Five loaves and two fish fed thousands. • Abby Ciona

• Do you ever feel like your help isn’t enough or isn’t important?

• Read Matthew 17:20. How much faith does one need to do something as big as moving a mountain?

• Read Isaiah 1:17. How can you reach out to others in love today?

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.†Mark 10:27 (NIV)

Read Verses:

Psalm 40:1; Proverbs 16:32; Ephesians 4:2