Rebuilding Lives Through the Spirit

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: Judge fairly and honestly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and poor people. And do not make evil plans to harm each other.” Zechariah 7:9-10

As disciples of Christ, we have residing in us God’s Spirit. It is this spirit that gives us the desire to want to help others, to help rebuild their lives, as well as give hope to those who can see no hope in sight. In Celebrate Recovery we call it compassion for others. God offers a fresh start for all, but uses his disciples to get the message of hope and compassion out.

So how does this help look in real life? It is best described in Proverbs 11:25: “The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.” (Proverbs 11:25 MSG) So this compassion goes around in a cycle. Here’s how it works: God gives us compassion and blesses us, we in turn give this compassion to others for their blessing, and then we in turn receive compassion from God and others in our time of need. What goes around – comes around! This time for the good of ourselves and others.

How do we show Christ-like compassion to others?
1. When we don’t judge others – Christ taught his disciples to accept people as they are. A good example is the woman at the well, a Samaritan. We are to be the voice of those with no voice. Our compassion helps the forgotten, the ignored, the defeated, the addicted, or the powerless.
2. When we forgive – When we show compassion and mercy to others who may be wrong, we are not letting them “off the hook”, but instead are recognizing they are human and in need of salvation. Freely salvation was given to us; freely we are to pass it on.
3. When we protect others – Our compassion compels us to look out for the interests of others, in particular, those in volatile or vulnerable situations. Each week in Celebrate Recovery we see examples of people’s lives in need. I, in turn, get to see a whole lot of CR volunteers reach out and help. That’s my blessing, seeing a program of caring people in action.
4. When we are kind to others – In this day and age, we seem to see little or no grace outside the church doors. As models for Christ, we need to show kindness to others in the community, even to those with whom we may disagree. Put simply, it is respect for others.
5. Finally, we can use our advantages to help – In America, we live in a rich and abundantly wealthy land by the world’s standards. But more than money, we have the rich spirit of God within us. So, instead of focusing on getting the advantage on others as we sometimes tend to do, we can use what advantages and privileges we do have to help others. Remember, Jesus willingly put himself at a disadvantage in order to serve others. He didn’t have to wash the disciple’s feet – he chose to do so. There is a lot to be learned from that.

God says when we do this, our light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around us will be as bright as day: “The Lord will guide you continually, watering your life when you are dry and keeping you healthy, too. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. Your children will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities. Then you will be known as the people who rebuild their walls and cities.” (Isaiah 58:11-12)

Love God with all your soul. When it comes to modeling the life of Christ, set aside your agenda and humbly serve in a manner that points to God. Like Pastor Philip says, we are all ambassadors for Christ, representing His desires, not our own.

In Christ,
Jerry McGuire