Isaiah 50:4
“The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.”
We oftentimes hear how one of the greatest things you can do in life is help others, and that is very true. What is often not mentioned is what helping others entails. Of course, Jesus Christ came to Earth to die for the sins of mankind, but He also came to be a help to others. His ministry is described in Mark 10:45 where it says, “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” This verse coincides with the verse above. There are four things you need to know about what it takes to help others.
First, the desire to help others is a great and spiritual desire. Helping others is one of the most selfless things you can do. You don’t help others because you want to get something out of it, but you help others to get them through their hardships. You are mirroring the life of Christ when you give your life to helping others.
Second, be ready to be attacked. Verse 6 says, “I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.” This is sad because the very ones whom Jesus came to help were the ones who were smiting Him and spitting in His face. You will soon learn that when you start helping others you will become the focus of their attacks. Just like the dog who is hurt will bite the hand that is helping it, so will the person who is being helped tend to turn their attack on the person who is trying to help them out of their situation. You must be ready for this, because it will happen.
Third, don’t take their attacks personally. It is sad, but you have to realize that you are dealing with broken people who most of the time are responding because of sin. Broken people have a broken response system that can be fixed if you won’t give up on them. Paul asked the church of Galatia in Galatians 4:16, “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” He felt the strong attack of these people, but he didn’t take it personally. The Devil would love for you to take their attacks personally so you will give up on them. If you just keep helping people, God can fix them.
Fourth, God will help you to help them. The verse above says, “The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary…” If you can work through all the negative reactions of the hurting without becoming angry and bitter, then God will help you to help them. God will give you the very words you can say to help those who are hurting. Throughout the years of my ministry, I have always found that God gives me that very word to say at the right time to help those who are hurting.
Friend, wanting to help people is a great desire, but you must be aware of the dangers that come with it. Don’t let those dangers scare you away. The pleasure that comes from investing your life in the hurting is far greater than their attack. You will find that when the broken are fixed that they will oftentimes become your greatest supporter and friend.