Compassion: 30 Days of HeartworkSample

Knowing God by Living Like Him

HEART //

At this point in the book of Jeremiah, God stepped in and spoke to the kings who were leading the nation of Judah. He rebuked them for how they were neglecting and even oppressing some of the people. The current king was building his own kingdom and palace by unrighteous and unjust acts. God saw the needs of His people and desired to set things right. He commanded the king to make justice and righteousness a priority in leading the nation. In fact, God said that defending the cause of those who are poor and in need is ultimately what it means to know Him. 

To truly know God is to know what He is like and what things He cares about. His heart is compassionate toward those who are in need, and He talks about loving the poor all throughout Scripture. He sees their needs and rescues them. Therefore, our faith requires action. Because we believe in an all-powerful, compassionate God, we must serve the poor and oppressed.

The issues of poverty and injustice in our world are deep and complex. It will take generations of change to make a dent in the issues at large. But there is a choice each one of us can make only for ourselves. We can choose to make caring for the poor a priority in our own lives by becoming educated on the issues in our world, being willing to change our ways, and living simple lives that are marked by action.

In his book “Crazy Love,” Francis Chan addresses this issue in our modern church. He states, “The concept of downsizing so that others might upgrade is biblical, beautiful, and nearly unheard of. We either close the gap or don’t take the words of the Bible literally.” We, as Christians, must be willing to step outside of the norms of our society and ask God honestly, “How can I best serve Your Kingdom?” We must understand the needs of our world and live out our faith through action. There is so much we can do!

WORK // 

How much of you (your money spent, plus time in activity AND thinking about the activity) is spent on your clothes or your entertainment (you know whichever is more of a vice for you!). Try to calculate time and cost per week, then multiply it by 52 to think about the whole year. When you’re finished, answer this question: Are you at peace with the amount being spent in this way, or should you rethink it? 

There is nothing wrong with spending money on clothes, food and entertainment, but how much of yourself is being spent in search of popularity, escaping reality or just plain boredom? Ask the Lord to search your heart and help you understand the difference between things you “need” and things you “want.”