How can people pick themselves up by their bootstraps if they don't even have boots?
I have to take a step back and realize that I am not God. Only God has the power to transform and change a person from the inside out. No amount of money, gifts, or things I throw at these people are going to save them or change their lives. The only life preserver I can really truly offer is Jesus.
The only reason I know this to be true is because it is only by God's grace that I have been changed. I am not the same person as I was 10 years ago. My goals, my attitudes, my priorities have all changed. To some extent, this is the natural course of life. But in other ways, I know it is the power of God working in my life.
And I know He can work in their lives too. All I can do is to continue to do the good works that God created me to do. I can love, serve, and encourage but that is where my responsiblity stops. The rest is up to God.
If only I could always remember this...
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1 comment:
den mother jess says...
i think you struggle with this (and i'm venturing a guess here) b/c all of us are so touched by what Christ can do, and want to walk in His footsteps so much, that we desire to actually BE Him, which is impossible.
even the best motives are sometimes wrong. like...i was reading john today and the part where Jesus is washing the disciples' feet and peter's like, "don't do that, Jesus!" and Jesus says, "if I don't do this, you won't be clean enough for heaven." and then peter goes, "then wash all of me!"
when we are given an inch we want a mile. and while it's b/c we actually care about people, we do have to remember that we are only human and sometimes humans have supernatural problems within their hearts and minds that only God can fix. sure superman could lift a plane with people in it, but God can change a hater's heart to love--that's supernatural.
i'm very glad you wrote on this, b/c i need this reminder all the time.
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