The doing principle is the fruit that Christ requires us to bear; doing deeds of benevolence, speaking kind words, and manifesting tender regard for the poor, the needy, the afflicted. When one's heart sympathizes with others burdened with discouragement and grief; when his hand clothes the naked, and the stranger is made welcome to a seat in his parlor and in his heart, then angels come very near, and an answering strain responds in Heaven.
Every act, every deed of justice and mercy and benevolence, makes music in Heaven. The Father from his throne beholds and numbers the performer of them with his most precious treasures. "They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "On the day that I make them My jewels" (Malachi 3:17 NKJV).
Every merciful act to the needy, or the suffering, is as though done to Jesus. Whoever succors the poor, or sympathizes with the afflicted and oppressed, and befriends the orphan, brings himself into a more close relationship to Jesus. "Inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me" (Matthew 25:45 NKJV).
Jesus here identifies himself with his suffering people. I was hungry and thirsty; I was a stranger; I was naked; I was sick; I was in prison. When you were enjoying your food from your bountifully spread tables, I was famishing of hunger in the hovel or street, not far from you. When you closed your doors against me, while your well-furnished rooms were unoccupied, I had nowhere to lay my head. Your wardrobes were filled with an abundant supply of changeable suits of apparel, upon which means had been needlessly squandered, which you might have given to the needy. I was destitute of comfortable apparel. When you were enjoying health, I was sick. Misfortune cast me into prison and bound me with fetters, bowing down my spirit, depriving me of freedom and hope, while you roamed free.
What a oneness Jesus here expresses as existing between himself and his suffering disciples. He makes their case his own. He identifies himself as being, in their person, the very sufferer. Here, mark, selfish Christian, that every neglect of yours to the needy poor, the orphan, the fatherless, is a neglect to Jesus in their person.
But there are some persons who make high professions, whose hearts are so encased in self-love and selfishness that they cannot appreciate these things. They have all their lives thought and lived only for self. To make a worthy sacrifice to do others good, to disadvantage themselves for the purpose of benefiting others, is out of the question with them. They have not the least idea that God requires this of them. Self is their dear idol. Precious weeks, months, and years of valuable time pass into eternity, but they have no record in Heaven of kindly acts, of sacrificing for others' good, of feeding the hungry, of clothing the naked, or taking in the stranger. Entertaining strangers at a venture is not agreeable; if they knew that all who shared their bounty were worthy, then they might be induced to do something in that direction. But there is virtue in venturing something. Perchance we may entertain angels.
There are orphans that can be cared for; but many will not venture to undertake such a work; for it involves more labor than they care to do, leaving them but little time to please themselves. But when the King shall make investigation, these do-nothing, illiberal, selfish souls will then learn that Heaven is for those who have been workers; those who have denied themselves for Christ's sake. No provisions have been made for those who have ever taken such special care in loving and looking out for themselves. The terrible punishment the King threatened those on his left hand, in this case, is not because of their great crimes. They are not condemned for the things which they did do, but for that which they did not do. They did not those things Heaven assigned them to do. They pleased themselves, and can take their portion with self-pleasers.
Wake up, brethren and sisters. Don't be afraid of good works. "Be not weary in well doing: for in due time ye shall reap, if ye faint not" (Galatians 6:9 AKJV). Do not wait to be told your duty. Open your eyes, and see who is around you, and make yourselves acquainted with the helpless, afflicted, and needy. Hide not yourselves from them; close not your eyes to their needs. Who gives the proofs mentioned in James of possessing pure religion, untainted with any selfishness or corruption? Who is anxious to do all in his power to aid in the great plan of salvation?
As you regard your eternal interest, arouse yourselves, and begin to sow good seed. The harvest is coming—the great reaping time, when you shall reap what you have sown. There will be no failure in the crop. The harvest is sure. Now is the sowing time. Now make efforts to be rich in good works, "ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for yourselves a good foundation against the time to come, that ye may lay hold on eternal life" (1 Timothy 6:18, 19 NKJV).
I implore you, my brethren, in every church, rid yourselves of your icy coldness. Encourage in yourselves a love of hospitality, a love to help those who need help.
You may say that you have been disappointed by bestowing means upon those unworthy of your charity, and therefore have become discouraged in trying to help the needy. I present Jesus before you. He came to save fallen man. He came to bring salvation to his own nation; but they would not accept him. They treated his mercy with insult and contempt, and at length they put to death Him who came for the purpose of giving life to them. Did our Lord turn from all the fallen race because of this? If your efforts for good have been unsuccessful ninety-nine times, and you have received only insult, reproach, and hate; if the one-hundredth time proves a success, and one soul is saved, oh, what a victory is achieved! One soul wrenched from Satan's grasp, one soul benefited, one soul encouraged! This will a thousand times pay you for all your efforts. To you will Jesus say "Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me," (Matthew 25:40 NKJV). Should we not gladly do all we can to imitate the life of our divine Lord?
Many shrink at the idea of making any sacrifice for others' good. They are not willing to suffer for the sake of helping others. They flatter themselves that it is not required of them to disadvantage themselves for the benefit of others. To such we will say, Jesus is our example.
All who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ, in taking this step pledge themselves to walk even as he walked. Yet the course many pursue who make high profession shows that their lives are far from being in conformity to that of the great Pattern. They shape their course to meet their own imperfect standard. They do not imitate the self-denial of Christ, or his life of sacrifice for the good of others.
I once heard a wealthy farmer describe the situation of a poor widow living near him. He lamented her straitened circumstances, and then said, "I don't know how she is going to get along this cold winter. She has close times now." Such have forgotten the work of Christ, and by their acts say, "We cannot live to do others good. It is our business to take care of ourselves."
Do you expect the Lord to rain down grain from Heaven to supply the needy? Has he not rather placed it in your hands to help and bless them through you? Has he not made you his instrument in this good work, to prove you, and to give you the privilege of laying up a treasure in Heaven? Hear what the prophet Isaiah says:
"Is it a fast that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?
"Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.'
"If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday. The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail" (Isaiah 58:5–11 NKJV).
The fast is described which God can accept: "to share your bread with the hungry," and to "bring to your house the poor who are cast out." You are with one hand to reach up, and by faith take hold of the mighty arm which bringeth salvation, while with the other hand of love you reach the oppressed, and relieve them. It is impossible for you to fasten upon the arm of God with one hand, while the other is employed in administering to your own pleasure.
If you engage in this work of mercy and love, will it prove too hard for you? Will you fail, and be crushed under the burden, and your family be deprived of your assistance and influence? Oh, no! God has carefully removed all doubts upon this question by a pledge to you on condition of your obedience. This promise covers all the most exacting, the most hesitating, could crave: "Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily." Only believe that He is faithful that has promised. God can renew the physical strength; and more, he says he will do it. And the promise does not end here. "Your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard" (Isaiah 58:8 NKJV).
God will build a fortification around you. Neither does the promise end at this point. "Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.'" If you put down oppression and remove the speaking of vanity, if you draw out your soul to the hungry, "then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday. The Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought [famine], and make fat thy bones; and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and a spring of water, whose waters fail not" (Isaiah 58:9–11 NKJV).
Read Isaiah 58, you who claim to be children of the light. Especially do you read it again and again who have felt so fearful to inconvenience yourselves by favoring the needy; you whose hearts and houses are too narrow to make a home for the homeless, read it. You who can see orphans and widows oppressed by the iron hand of poverty, and bowed down by the hard-hearted worldlings, read it.
Are you afraid that an influence will be introduced into your family that will cost you more labor, read that chapter. Your fears may be groundless, and a blessing may come, known and realized by you every day. But if otherwise, if extra labor is called for, you can draw upon One who has promised: "Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily."
Why God's people are not more spiritually-minded, and have no more faith, is because they are narrowed by selfishness. The prophet is addressing Christians; not sinners, not unbelievers, but those who make great pretensions to godliness. It is not the abundance of your meetings that God accepts. It is not the numerous prayers, but it is right-doing—doing the right thing, and at the right time. It is to be less self-caring, and more benevolent. Our souls must expand. Then God will make them like a watered garden, whose waters fail not.
Adapted from "Doing for Christ," by Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, August 16, 1881.The original version is available online at www.lakeunionherald.org.
