Not My Job

The kids and I are reading through Enjoying God’s World for their science. At this point, they’re learning about how various animals work and relate to the world around them. The instincts God placed in these creatures fascinates me. Today we studied the bees and how they function as a team; no one bee can survive a winter without the others. They are made for community.

A few days ago, we read about the beaver, the natural engineer. Beavers too work as teams, or families. Everyone has a purpose and everyone works, helping to build and maintain the lodge. But their hard-work ethic wasn’t what struck me most: their community spirit of protection and love astounded me. Here’s how the book put it:

                        “If a beaver is in trouble, other beavers will come to help him,
                        even if the other beaver is a stranger. If a mother beaver is
                        killed, another beaver will take care of her babies.” (54)

Just like that. Doesn’t matter if she’s a part of the family or not, or even in the same “church.” It doesn’t matter if the relationship has been established. If there is a need, the beaver rises to meet it, helping, protecting and nurturing the other beavers.

How often do we as human beings do that kind of service for even "one of us"?

Or, are we more likely to throw out excuses such as these?

Well, I hardly know them.

Why should I have to help?

Isn’t that their family’s job?

They need to help themselves.
I'm too busy to...

But is that what our Creator ingrained in us, or is that our sin nature speaking? Does the Church today reflect the Body of believers Christ left behind? No, often times, it does not.

We’re far too greedy with our time, our money, our energy, and our prestige.

We worry about ourselves and our status and our boundaries.  And we find it all too easy to say “no.” And we shun the very community life God designed us for.

Our Lord and King came not to have posh rule on this earth, but to serve (Matt. 20:28). To take off his outer cloak and stoop down to wash feet. To touch the leper. To listen to the hurting. To hold the children. To give up everything to minister to those around him. Do we deserve better than our Savior? Do we look to our own gain and comfort or do we choose a life of sacrifice and ministry to others?

“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Phil. 2:1-4 (emphasis mine)

In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35

^“ For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord,  begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—  and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.” 2 Cor. 8-9

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9