Helping others

Six Benefits of Helping the Poor

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I want to share with you a moment burned into my mind as a poignant testimony to generosity.  My daughter, Sarah and I, experienced this moment in the city of Cerro de Pasco, Peru, in 2002.  In the course of ministering to a small church in this town located at the top of the Andean mountains, we met street children who were collecting trash or anything of value they could find on the streets, in order to garner a handful of coins. ​Although home to one of the deepest silver mines in the world, Cerro de Pasco’s 70,000 inhabitants are mostly poor.   One would think that any money a child could scrape would be zealously guarded and used for food or clothing.  But these joyful children tithed from what they had in order to give to missionaries.  It was a demonstration of the poorest giving to the poor to honor and expand God’s work. Someday I hope to learn how God blessed them! MeditationPsalm 41:1-3—Happy is one who cares for the poor; the LORD will save him in a day of adversity.  The LORD will keep him and preserve him; he will be blessed in the land.  You will not give him over to the desire of his enemies. The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed; You will heal him on the bed where he lies. The passage above gives us six benefits for helping the poor.   Helping the poor brings happiness to the giver.  Proverbs 14:21 further supports this.  “The one who despises his neighbor sins, but whoever shows kindness to the poor will be happy.” Helping the poor brings God’s hand of rescue in a “day of adversity.” This is opposite of conventional thought which suggests that we should preserve everything we get so that when adversity comes we can buy our way out or at least have the means to survive.   Helping the poor results in God preserving the giver.  The Hebrew word shamarmeans to preserve, to keep, watch.   Shamar is also applied by God to those who are humble (Psa. 138:6,7) and obedient to His Word (Pro. 19:16).[1] Helping the poor brings blessing where the giver lives.  This blessing comes from the Hebrew word asharand brings the idea of advancement.[2]  To better understand this we can learn from Moses who taught the Israelites in Deuteronomy 15:10, “Give to him, and don’t have a stingy heart when you give, and because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you do.” Helping the poor means protection for the giver against his enemies’ bad intentions.  Seven of the thirteen verses in this Psalm by David speak to betrayal or mal intent by his enemies. Yet he felt confident that by caring for the poor, God would protect him. ​Helping the poor brings healing from sickness.   We see this demonstrated in 2 Kings 4 where a wealthy Shunammite woman saw the prophet Elijah’s need and provided him a room.  Because of her generosity, God gave the barren woman a son and later when that son died from some kind of head affliction, God restored him back to life!  InspirationSuper-survivors recognize the healing and strengthening value of “paying forward,” or giving to others and to the community.—Steven M. Southwick & Dennis S. Charney in Resilience ©2016 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.       Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB). Source: First Cause

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The importance and benefits of giving back to your community

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Volunteering your time to support a cause you are passionate about is something you will never regret. It will enrich your life, familiarize you with your community, and connect you to people and ideas that will positively impact your perspective for the rest of your life. Helping your community is an opportunity for you to grow as a person, to better understand how you fit into the world around you. Why is it so important to give back to your community? Why is it so important to find a cause you love and volunteer your time? Spending time enriching your community is a great way to broaden your perceptions of the world. By immersing yourself in a community and surrounding yourself with people who are dedicated to bettering the world, you can learn so much about how the world works. You gain a unique sense of purpose by serving those around you, one which often manifests in other areas of your life. Of course, it’s also important for your community! Without volunteers, many of the services and events we enjoy in our communities would not be so readily available. Spending time helping out at local shelters or food banks provides an important service to less fortunate neighbors. Giving back to the place you call home helps to unite the community and bridge some of the social, economic and political gaps. What are some of the benefits of volunteering? Donating your time to support those around you is extremely beneficial, both for you and your community. It is statistically proven that people who volunteer regularly are healthier both physically and mentally. Individuals who have volunteered throughout their lifetime typically live longer and have better psychological well-being. In addition to the health benefits, volunteering gives people a sense of purpose. The fulfilling feeling of giving back and contributing to society is unparalleled. Giving back is also a great way to get to know your community and its citizens. When you volunteer, you have the opportunity to meet lots of new people. Working alongside individuals who also care about improving their surroundings will allow you to broaden your network of friends. Additionally, it will help you to better understand the circumstances of other members of your community. Having a broad, open-minded perspective of the different walks of life around you will help you to be an effective and empathetic citizen. People skills are not the only skills you will gain through volunteering! Dedicating time to help others will teach you patience, kindness, and resilience. Not only will you improve your communication abilities by working alongside a diverse team of people, but you will also gain a plethora of other experiences that will help you as you navigate your future. Volunteering may even help you discover a new passion or interest. How can you get involved in your community? There are so many important causes out there that always need volunteers to support the work they’re doing. Whether you’re passionate about advocacy, animal rights, or helping the homeless, you can find a valuable way to donate your time. Many towns and cities have community centers, which can be a great place to find opportunities to give back to the place you call home. You can also check websites like VolunteerMatch or Idealist for volunteer opportunities that fit your interests and abilities. Even if you only donate a few hours of time each month, you will be making a huge difference in the lives of others. Source: EF

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