Tuesday; September 23
What do we do when people offer to help us? Many of us grew up with an American sense of independence and we get defensive when someone offers to help us. We tend to view offers of assistance as charity and we don’t like charity. We feel like we can do things on our own and accepting a gift from someone else somehow makes us less self-sufficient. Coming from when and where I did, this mindset is not only understandable, it is also popular. However, what would happen if we swallowed our pride and let people help us? Even when the need is debatable, there could be value in accepting offers of assistance. Interestingly, this is more than just a social struggle, there is a spiritual component to it as well. Centuries ago, when the Apostle Paul reflected on a gift he had been given by a local congregation, he noted, “Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.” (Philippians 4:17). ...