I WAS EYES TO THE BLIND

Posted on by BETH

“I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame” (Job 29:15).

Do we seek opportunities to do good to those in need?  Are we too busy to take time for the ones who depend upon us most?  Good works and kindness toward the handicapped will not be noticed as something great, nor will we be become famous because we do them.  Nevertheless, He who sees all will see our hearts and our love toward his poor.

Job said he was eyes to the blind, an exceedingly beautiful expression, whose meaning is obvious. He became their counselor and guide.  He also says he was feet to the lame.  He assisted them, and became their benefactor””doing for them, in providing support, as much as they would have done for themselves if they had been in sound health.  What a beautiful heart Job showed to the needy.

Under the Old Testament Law, men were cursed if they caused the less fortunate to have more trouble than usual (Deut 27:18-19; Lev 19:14).  King Solomon wrote, “Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy” (Pro 31:9).  The Holy Spirit through the writer of Hebrews says, “Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed” (Heb 12:12-13).

Jesus is the supreme example of compassion and mercy for the deaf, blind, lame and the poor who came to him for healing (Mat 15:30-31; Mat 21:14; Luke 7:22).  One such account is found in John 9:1-7.  The tradition of the people then (as in Job”™s time) was that someone had to have committed a sin for that man to have been born blind.  Jesus said it was not so and that neither that man nor his parents sinned to cause such a handicap.  It was that the works of God might be made manifest in him.

Even today the lame, deaf mute and blind people are despised, and only those who love the Creator of all souls will have mercy on them.  Jesus tells us we are to invite these people to our homes when we have a “feast,” knowing they cannot invite us again (Luke 14:13-14).  We, as His servants, ought to show our love and compassion by being eyes to the blind and feet to the lame.

“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Matt 5:7).

“For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment” (James 2:13).

LET PRAYER ACCOMPANY YOUR ADMONITIONS

Posted on by BETH

“I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all” (Acts 20:33-36).

At times it is necessary to give admonitions to those we love and are concerned about. There are some who may react negatively to our counsel, warnings, or gentle advice and we certainly do not want to be the cause of any Christian stumbling and falling in his service to God (Rom 14:13).

Speaking to the elders at Ephesus, Paul reminded them there were three things they should know about him and his love for them.

· They should know how Paul had served the Lord with all humility of mind while he was with them in Ephesus (Acts 20:18-19).

· The elders also knew that Paul had suffered many temptations in Asia at the hands of the Jews (Acts 20:19).

· They knew that Paul had not kept back anything profitable from them, but he had declared the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:20-27).

Paul also reminded them that he was pure from the blood of all men, because he had declared the whole counsel of God (Acts 18:5-6, 20:20-21, 26-27). The context of this message (Acts 20:28-31) gives us the major works elders in the church are responsible for wherever they serve.

· Paul reminded them they must feed the flock with the word of God. This was for the spiritual growth of the church (Acts 20:28; Jer 3:15; Eph 4:11-16).

· He also reminded them they must protect the flock from wolves, those who would subvert their souls by false doctrine.

The major reason Paul worked with his hands while he was in Ephesus was to be an example to the elders of the church of serving others and helping the weak. He was demonstrating Jesus’ teaching that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:33-35). These men accepted Paul’s admonition and even cried as he departed from them. They knew they would not see Paul’s face again (Acts 20:25, 37-38).

Some, like the elders at Ephesus, accept the admonitions given to them and grow from their experience, while others reject any counsel for themselves. I knew an older couple who earnestly desired to help a young married couple to learn better how to love each other and to be good examples in the church. The young people were Christians and should have applied the scriptures to themselves and grown by them rather than demonstrate bad attitudes toward each other. The husband should have known the way he treated his wife was hindering his own prayers (1 Pet 3:7). We humans do not always perceive ourselves the way outsiders do, and so the young man was oblivious of what others saw. The older couple prayed and fasted about their intended meeting for over a week, eating only bread and water and lying prostrate on the floor as they begged God’s help in their upcoming discussion. Their love for the young couple was deep, and their longing for peace in that marriage was stronger than any could have imagined. God heard their prayers and blessed the young couple to make needed adjustments, even though the admonition was not initially pleasant. What a blessing it was for those two as well as for their family in years to come.