Caring for others is godly

2026-03-15 - 01:18

Elder Arnold Gopeesingh “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.” —­(Matthew 9:35 & 36). We live in a world today that is changing rapidly all around us. It is the age of growing technology and the quest to acquire more knowledge in order to live a better standard of living. All this is well in place, for the Apostle John wrote in 3 John 2: “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” God wants the best for us all. Jesus said in John 10:10: “The thief cometh not, but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.” That life goes further than eternal life, but it encompasses everything as we live on planet Earth. God wants us to have a good and holy life. Amidst all of this, there is a thief whose business is to steal, kill, and destroy. There is an enemy whose main objective is to see humanity suffer as much as possible. While God’s intention is all good towards us, we must not forget the less fortunate who live among us. The quest to achieve and accomplish, if we are not careful, can cause us to become self-centred. This can happen to the best of us at times. My opening scripture showed the lifestyle of Jesus Christ, one of caring, compassion, and empathy for others. As you read the gospels, you cannot help but notice our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’s helping hand reaching out to those around Him, healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and encouraging those who needed words of comfort. Caring for others, my friend, is godly, and you never lose when you perform acts of charity. As we take a good look around us in Trinidad and Tobago and the world in general, we cannot help but notice the suffering of many in various communities and countries. Times are hard for many people living among us. How can we turn a blind eye to this? How can we ignore the cry of those out there who are living in poverty? We read in Proverbs 17:5: “Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.” God is also very concerned for the poor. I encourage you: if God has blessed you and opened doors where you have many earthly possessions, do not forget those who are not as fortunate as you are. Look around right in the community that you live in and see if there is anyone whose day you can brighten by giving a helping hand. Become the hands of God and His mouthpiece to bring words of comfort, joy, and hope to some soul. James wrote, “If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, ‘Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled,’ notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit? (James 2:15 & 16). James is saying that it is not good enough just to pray for someone in need, but if you can help them in some tangible way, you should do so. A quote by John Wesley says, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” Another quote by Mother Teresa: “Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.” The little you do for someone today may be a transforming deed in that person’s life. Never underestimate those small deeds of charity. My prayer is that God will open our eyes even more so that we can behold the need of others and give us a willing heart to reach out, wanting nothing in return. May God richly bless you in all your endeavours. Stay strong, my friend.