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love?
hillsbororiver:
--- Quote from: jennie on March 08, 2007, 09:44:17 PM ---
Joe, I think you wrote something about finding out what put someone in a needful place. We try very hard to do that and I can't tell you how many people Michael has helped find work so that they won't be dependent on charity. That is the best we know how to do. Whether anyone agrees or not, we believe we are following what God has set out for us to do. Jennie
--- End quote ---
Hi Jennie,
How or why would anyone not agree that helping to make a person "self sufficient" is a very godly thing to do? People usually find themselves in a needful place usually through a series of actions not because of one calamity or disaster, of course (as you well know from personal experience) disasters do happen but if we have a strong foundation it won't all be blown away and it is much easier to rebuild.
The best way to help a brother of sister is to see how they got where they are and help them get to higher ground.
His Peace to you Sister,
Joe
gmik:
One day, years ago, my husband brought home a hitch hiker he picked up. We had 3 children under 5 and I was a stay at home mom. He stayed w/ us several days. We found him a car, contacted a church near the town he was from, got leads for a job, got him a haircut...you know we took care of him.
Thats not the whole story.
I WAS MAD AS A SKUNK!!!!!! I couldn't sleep. I knew he was going to kill us in our beds. How could my husband be such a jerk. He goes to work and leaves me & the kids all day long alone!!!! I secretly called a single guy at church to see if he would take him. Yes he would. I was so excited, but NOOOOOO, hubby wouldn't hear of it. I was going to leave him no divorce him. Then I did the ultimate....I CALLED HIS MOMMY!!!!!
My mother in law nearly crawled thru the phone she was so upset and she chewed him out so he finally took the guy to tht single guys till we got him on his way.
Then I went thru the guilt of "gee, what a terrible christian I am" et etc. It took years to realize that I had some valid points. My husband thought he heard the Lord to pick him up. The guy turned out to be harmless. We did help him out and a lot of people got to bless him too. But wisdom ? 3 small children, a wildly gorgeous wife ( :D), 5 acres out in the country, no you don't bring home a hitch hiker!!!!! Thank God for His Grace!
All situations are different. Maturity helps when you "think" you hear from the Lord. Common sense helps too. We have given money, loaned money, tithed money, thrown good money after bad and just chalked it all up to --we are trying to walk in love and help a brother out.
All part of the journey.
hebrewroots98:
Thank you Arcturus! yes, it does take wisdom and deiscernment before you act on helping anyone.
Deborah-Leigh:
There is nothing wrong in giving someone a hand up not a hand out or a fishing rod and not the fish! ;D
Peace to you
Arcturus :)
PKnowler:
Oh Gena,
That would be a scary situation to pick up a hitch hiker and have him stay with you when you had children. I liked the way you handled it though! You are a pretty funny story teller. Please share more of your stories with us- in the future. I enjoyed that!
Come to think of it we have taken a family into our home, that we didn't know, who were just passing through town and came to our church looking for a place to stay. They stayed with us for about a week when the elders of the church came to us and encouraged us to kick them out. I finally came up with an excuse that they had to leave when it looked like they were settling in. My husband was mad at the elders for sticking their noses into our business but I was a nervous wreck because it seemed like they were taking advantage of our hospitality and not doing anything to help out or keep the place clean. (There were things my husband needed help with but the man refused to help and the lady wouldn't even wash a dish.)
I think we need to use discernment when helping someone out because sometimes our help isn't help it's enabling.
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