I have walked with God for a very long time. So when I begin to get a new download of revelation, wisdom, and understanding it surprised me a little. Not that I know everything about God, not even close. I know, it sounds silly to be so caught off guard, but this latest knowledge is so beautiful, hard to comprehend, and so Jesus.
I am beginning to learn about, and walk out the principal of sowing into someone else’s need(s) even though you have big needs of your own. I had been praying about earning some extra money. Currently paying the cost of two households in two different countries was never part of my retirement plan. I budgeted enough to last 7 years, from my retirement, to when I could start drawing Social Security, and it was working, but God had other plans He didn’t let me in on. With that said, since me getting married again was his idea, I am confident He will provide for his plans to be carried out. But there is something about being human, we want to figure it out ourselves, and at times, do it ourselves.
So when my friend offered to pay me to help him with a construction project I was excited. I thought, Oh cool. This is the answer to my prayer of earning some extra money. At least until God said, “No.” He instructed me to sow into my friend’s needs. Financial, social, and emotional. So that is what I decided to do. It’s exciting to witness God minister to someone and it’s humbling that He would do that through me.
I didn’t realize how bad off my friend was, but after spending several hours with him, working, laughing, but also talking I heard the voice of a man who was about to break. Coming along side of someone and walking with them through a need in their life is powerful. Just simply being there with them speaks volumes. My friend is doing better.
I was busy writing this post when my wife called. We speak every day via Messenger, so I wasn’t surprised. She was upset, and upon further discussion we recognized she would have the opportunity to sow into someone’s need there in the Philippines. It’s a bigger need, which means it’s a bigger challenge, but not one that God can’t handle.
How do you sow into someone else’s need?
- Submit your own needs to God, and trust him.
- See the need of someone else.
- Decide to get your hands dirty by getting involved.
- Spend the amount of time needed, or be willing to provide the resources required to meet their need.
- Give all the glory to God
Do all this despite your own needs, but then watch what God begins to do in your own life. I was talking to a friend this morning, sharing my past week when I realized all of the miracles God did in my life. Thank you God for teaching my wife and I this valuable principle and then giving us the opportunity to walk it out.
Copyright © 2020 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.
“The voice of the Spirit of God is as gentle as a summer breeze— so gentle that unless you are living in complete fellowship and oneness with God, you will never hear it.” – Oswald Chambers
This year, 2020, has proven to be one big storm that won’t stop. It has harmed so many people, in so many ways. Interview them, and you would hear different versions of the same story, “Hurt”. Whether it’s a lost job, drowning in debt, the death of a loved one due to Covid, keeping family and friends from gathering as they once did, or new challenges no one saw coming. When will it end?
Remember going to your mother, or father, and asking them to kiss your boo boo? To make it go away? Or do you remember your own child asking you? My son, when he was about one year old, fell on some hard plastic toys, and hurt his bum. He cried as he climbed up on the sofa, laid back holding his legs up in the air and said, “Mommy, kiss my butt.” We know a kiss from a loving parent didn’t do anything, but there is something comforting knowing one who loves you, knows you are hurting.
It happened last week, last year, or even longer ago, but the memory of the hurt and pain can still rise to the surface so fast. A word, a name, a song, a phrase can trigger the instance to come back. You feel those emotions…again. You say you have forgiven the offender, you even tell yourself you have moved on, so then why does it still rise up and bite you, and at times with the same emotions you experienced when it first happened?
I notice patterns. I also see common denominators. I can’t help it. It’s the way I am made. I think I could have that disorder: Denoterns. Anyway, perhaps many others have it as well, but I have noticed several times in the Bible where it took three days to change someone, or something.
Have you ever wondered why you do things and it doesn’t go like you thought it would? I mean you roll played it in your head so many times and not one of those times did it go like it did in real life. What actually went down, you never ever imagined. You’re hurt. You’re angry at God. You don’t understand how it wound up like this. Let me tell you why it did.
I used to drive fast. I mean, really fast, or perhaps I should say, “stupidly fast!” In the early eighties, in Massachusetts, I was driving my Chevette. Okay, you can stop laughing now. As I was going up a hill and into a sharp turn to my left I saw a car coming fast, straight for me in my lane. It was going to be a head on collision and I said to myself, Oh this is going to hurt! But right before the point of impact I shut my eyes hard, and screamed, “Oh God!”
brady, mark a. 