Caring for the community and one another

• Helping others can help you live longer

 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”– Matthew 25:31-46.

INTRODUCTION

The parable in Matthew 25:34-40 describes acts of mercy we all can do every day. These acts do not depend on wealth, ability or intelligence; they are simple acts freely given and freely received. We have no excuse to neglect those who have deep needs, and we cannot hand over this responsibility to the church or government. Jesus demands our personal involvement in caring for others’ needs.

The point of this parable is not the who, but the what – the importance of serving where service is needed. The focus of this parable is that we should love every person and serve anyone we can. Such love for others glorifies God by reflecting our love for Him.

When we show mercy, compassion, and kindness (the marks of His Kingdom) to others straits, we are practising the merciful attitude that God expects each of His children to exhibit at all times.

1. Why are we not caring for one another

Unfortunately, the outcome of a society shifting toward individualism is a lack of empathy.–Caring about ourselves and our own welfare, but not caring about others. The effects of this include:

1. Economic greed that leads to disparity.
2. Neglect of the less fortunate.
3. Inability to cooperate with others. Already evident in our polarised political system, where people and parties with opposing views are unable to work together to solve problems.
4. The absence of self-sacrifice for the collective good.

BENEFITS OF CARING FOR OTHERS

1. Helping others feels good

There is some evidence to suggest that when you help others, it can promote physiological changes in the brain linked with happiness.  This heightened sense of well-being might be the by-product of being more physically active as a result of volunteering, or because it makes us more socially active.

2. It creates a sense of belonging

Helping others can help us to make new friends and connect with our community.  Face-to-face activities such as volunteering at a food bank can also help reduce loneliness and isolation.

3. It gives you a sense of purpose

Studies show that volunteering enhances an individual’s overall sense of purpose and identity.  This is because helping others can make you feel rewarded, fulfilled and empowered.

4. Giving helps keep things in perspective

Helping others, especially those who are less fortunate than yourself, can help to put things into perspective and make you feel more positive about your own circumstances.

5. It is contagious

One study found that people are more likely to perform feats of generosity after observing another do the same. This effect can ripple throughout the community, inspiring dozens of individuals to make a difference.  

6. Helping others can help you live longer

Regular volunteering can improve your ability to manage stress and stave off disease as well as increasing your sense of life satisfaction. This might be because volunteering alleviates loneliness and enhances our social lives.

7. It will give you a sense of renewal

Helping others can teach you to help yourself. If you’ve been through a tough experience or just have a case of the blues, the “activism cure” is a great way get back to feeling like yourself.

8. You’ll boost your self-esteem

People who volunteer have been found to have higher self-esteem and overall wellbeing. The benefits of volunteering also depend on your consistency. So, the more regularly you volunteer, the more confidence you’ll gain.

9. You’ll create stronger friendships

When you help others, you give off positive vibes, which can rub off on peers and improve your friendships.  Being a force for good in a friend’s life can help build a lasting bond.

10. You become a glass half-full type person

Having a positive impact on someone else could help you change your own outlook and attitude. Experts say that performing act of kindness boosts your mood and ultimately makes you more optimistic and positive.

Progress depends on our brain. The most important part of our brain, that which is neocortical, must be used to help others not just to make discoveries.” Rita Levi-Montalcini

End Note

In fact, one of the primary ways we can serve God in a very real way is to show kindness to ‘the least of these’, which includes anyone – particularly those among God’s people – who could use our help or attention. These are people who others often overlook because they cannot repay the kindness. Jesus said that when His followers practise active compassion toward others, they are actually doing something for Him. This means that if we want to see or touch Jesus directly, we will have to look for Him in people who are hurting or in need.

Both the faithful and unfaithful were unaware of times when they encountered Jesus in life (Matthew 25:37-39). Even those who did the right thing were seemingly oblivious to when they acted with compassion. It seems that on those occasions when they helped others, the act or actions were not unusual or special in any way; serving others was simply a way of life for them. All of this shows that true service to God often takes place in the more routine and unassuming areas of life – when no one else notices. But God always notices when we do something for Him, and He will reward us accordingly on judgement day.

Stay blessed!

By Dr Joyce Aryee, the author

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