Today, as I read my UpperRoom devotion, I find I am convicted about thoughts I had while reading the devotion dated January 15, 2011. The title is "Someone at the Door". The writer talks about someone knocking on his door asking, again, for assistance. Quoting from the devotion: "One day a man who had knocked on my door many times arrived again. This time I asked him to leave without even listening to him."
Now there are at least two thoughts that went through my mind as I read this devotion. One had to do with my experience. No one has ever knocked on my door asking for help. I wondered where this type of thing occurred. My initial thought was that it must be in a big city because that just doesn't happen in my small community - that I know of anyway. I looked at the author's name and where he was from - Western Cape, South Africa. Perhaps that is how people ask for assistance in South Africa. I don't really know. As I read it, I thought, "Gee, I'm glad people don't beg for help by knocking on my door - how would you ever be able to say no?"
Which brings up my next thought......Oh my, how many times would a person be expected to give to the same person? As soon as I gave one time, there would be repeat requests from the same people. There might even be word of mouth visitors, who show up because they heard from my repeat visitor that I am a repeat giver.......How would you even afford that? You'd have to say no. You'd have to turn them away. How many times could you be expected to give?
Immediately, I mean before the thought was even fully formed,this answer came to me.....seventy times seven. When Jesus said it, he meant "an infinite number", "as many times as asked", until the need was no more. Matthew 18:22 (NLT
)“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!"
Convicted - twice....#1, being grateful that those in need don't come to my house to ask for it. #2, wondering when enough was enough. Those are both ideas for which I am ashamed.
Of course, I know full well that if God sent people to my door to ask for assistance, even repeated assistance, that He would provide to me whatever was necessary to provide them with that assistance. I also know that no matter how many opportunities to help there are, we should ALWAYS be prepared to help. God will never ask us to do something that we cannot do. He will ask us to do things that we choose not to do but never anything that we cannot do.
The second counter to my evil thoughts is that it would be wonderful to be so giving and generous that people would knock on your door knowing they could count on you for help.....repeatedly. I would like to be known as generous. If my thoughts that arose from this devotion are any indication, I fail at that miserably.
Instead of looking at visits from those in need as a nuisance it should be looked upon as an opportunity to be Jesus to someone. Oh, Lord, help me to look on need as opportunity and not with annoyance or greed. And help me to always be a cheerful giver. Amen.
PS. I encourage you to read the devotion to see how the writer dealt with the visitor. There are good witnesses in the world. We need to know that.
Now there are at least two thoughts that went through my mind as I read this devotion. One had to do with my experience. No one has ever knocked on my door asking for help. I wondered where this type of thing occurred. My initial thought was that it must be in a big city because that just doesn't happen in my small community - that I know of anyway. I looked at the author's name and where he was from - Western Cape, South Africa. Perhaps that is how people ask for assistance in South Africa. I don't really know. As I read it, I thought, "Gee, I'm glad people don't beg for help by knocking on my door - how would you ever be able to say no?"
Which brings up my next thought......Oh my, how many times would a person be expected to give to the same person? As soon as I gave one time, there would be repeat requests from the same people. There might even be word of mouth visitors, who show up because they heard from my repeat visitor that I am a repeat giver.......How would you even afford that? You'd have to say no. You'd have to turn them away. How many times could you be expected to give?
Immediately, I mean before the thought was even fully formed,this answer came to me.....seventy times seven. When Jesus said it, he meant "an infinite number", "as many times as asked", until the need was no more. Matthew 18:22 (NLT
)“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!"Of course, I know full well that if God sent people to my door to ask for assistance, even repeated assistance, that He would provide to me whatever was necessary to provide them with that assistance. I also know that no matter how many opportunities to help there are, we should ALWAYS be prepared to help. God will never ask us to do something that we cannot do. He will ask us to do things that we choose not to do but never anything that we cannot do.
The second counter to my evil thoughts is that it would be wonderful to be so giving and generous that people would knock on your door knowing they could count on you for help.....repeatedly. I would like to be known as generous. If my thoughts that arose from this devotion are any indication, I fail at that miserably.
Instead of looking at visits from those in need as a nuisance it should be looked upon as an opportunity to be Jesus to someone. Oh, Lord, help me to look on need as opportunity and not with annoyance or greed. And help me to always be a cheerful giver. Amen.
PS. I encourage you to read the devotion to see how the writer dealt with the visitor. There are good witnesses in the world. We need to know that.
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