Jump Start # 2871
Galatians 6:9 “And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.”
Our verse today is one of those reminders that we know so well, but it is good to look at over and over again. Do good. We all should do good. If one isn’t doing good, then he is either doing nothing or else, he is doing bad. And, neither one of those is acceptable.
These thoughts flow into the next verse where the apostle says to “do good to all men, especially those who are of the household of faith.” Doing good. Eating well and exercising, staying within your budget are all good things to do, but they are all directed inward, toward us. A person can do those things for a lifetime and still miss the direction of this passage. The doing good is not towards yourself but pointed to others. Do good to others. Look beyond yourself and do something worthwhile for others.
Now built within our verse today are some important thoughts for us to consider:
First, you are always needed to help others. One should never run out of things to do for others. There is always needs. Someone needs some encouragement. There is a card that needs to be sent to cheer up someone. There is someone that needs an hour of your time. There is someone that could use a helping hand on Saturday. There is a thank you text you ought to send to someone. Someone in the hospital. Some young preacher fresh out of the box preaching his first lessons. Someone who has buried a loved one. Someone who is struggling with addictions. Someone who has more bills than money. Someone in the congregation needs things. Someone in the neighborhood needs help. Someone at work needs help. There is always someone somewhere you has needs.
A Christian having nothing to do is not a good place to be. If that’s the case, open your eyes. Look around. Get connected with others. Go talk to the shepherds, they’ll put you in touch with those who you can do good to.
Second, because the needs are constant, one can get tired, very tired. And, when one gets to that place, the joy of serving turns into a burden. And that burden is what our passage is driving at. Losing heart and growing weary, at the front end and the back end of our passage, shows the danger that being overwhelmed can make one feel. Discouraged or losing heart comes from seeing more than you can do yourself. It comes from feeling that you are the only one doing things. It comes from wanting to fix every problem and help every person. And, when one becomes weary, it is easy to become cranky and complain. Our sweetness becomes sour. And the good we are trying to do is ruined because of a wrong attitude.
Paul’s words are simple: don’t go there. Don’t become weary. Don’t lose heart. Don’t allow the burden to destroy the good you are trying to do. Now, that sounds true and we understand that we shouldn’t go there, but how do we keep from losing heart and becoming weary?
First, understand you cannot solve every problem and you cannot help every person. If you try, you will be the one who needs help. You will need encouragement. Some of us struggle with this. We want to be in the middle and involved with every situation. We spend all day with people and all night on the phone. But you can’t. Jesus didn’t go into all the world. He used others, the apostles. And, even they couldn’t be everywhere. This is why we read of Paul sending Timothy, Titus and others to various places. Take off the cape. You are not Superman. You have limitations, responsibilities at home and needs to take care of yourself. A discouraged person cannot encourage, just as a broke person cannot lend money. So, there will be some people that you cannot help. There will be some that you cannot encourage. This does not mean you have failed nor let them down. You can only do so much.
Second, because the needs are so great and you are limited in what you can do, others need to help. This is why we are a team and a family in the congregation. You have your talents and others have their talents. There are shepherds and deacons and members. When everyone does what they can, even if it is little things, so much more can be accomplished. We may feel guilty when we hear of some taking food to someone and you didn’t. Someone helped a family unload boxes and you didn’t. You can’t be everywhere. Allow others to do things. It’s good for them and it helps them to grow and connect with others. Now, if you hear of others doing things and you don’t help anyone and you are not doing good to anyone, then the guilt you feel is deserved. Step it up. Get involved with your church family and those around you.
Third, as you do good, include others. This shows them, teaches them and allows them to practice doing good. This is especially true of young children. We are seeing a culture of selfishness and rudeness all around us. How you break that is to involve others in the good you are doing. Don’t shut the door on allowing others to help. Doing good isn’t your exclusive project. Little ones can go with you to take food. Little ones can color pictures and be mailed along with the cards you send. Little ones can pick up sticks, visit nursing homes and cheer up sad hearts. Not only does this teach others to be servants, it keeps a legacy of goodness being done. I’ve been at places when the people have wondered who will host the next generation of showers. Who will visit the hospitals when the current ones no longer can? Who will help when the helpers are no longer here?
Fourth, doing good for others means giving up of your time. It is a sacrifice. And those who are doing good right now, they have families and things to do at home. They have the same things as you do. But what they also have is a heart to serve and share. Yes, some are thankless for the good that you do. Do it anyway. Yes, others might have something to say about what you are doing. Do it anyway. Yes, there are times you’d like to just stay home and watch TV, but you don’t. You help. You do what you can to make life easier for others. You do this because this is what God wants you to do. You do this because this is the golden rule in practice. You do this because someone has been there for you. You do this because you can.
Do good—don’t lose heart and don’t get weary. Just do good.
Roger