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The GO Zone:Give Us This Day
by Dave Weiss (Dave's bio)
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Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it. James 2: 15,16 (NIV)
People with needs, they are all around you. The hungry person who needs something to eat. The unemployed person who needs a hand to get back on his feet. The lonely person who needs someone to talk to. The hurting person who just wants someone to care. Life in the year 2002 can be tough and many people need help. The easy answer is to say that the government has the resources to help these people but is that the answer that Jesus would give? I don't think so!
Think about the time when Jesus was speaking to the masses. 5,000 men plus the women and children. There could have been as many as 10,000 people there, maybe more. As it comes to be evening, the disciples want to send the people into town so that they can get something to eat. The crowd is huge, the need is massive. Jesus' reply to the disciples is simple, "You give them something to eat." You meet their needs. In today's society, I believe Jesus is saying the same thing to His body, the church. If someone is hungry, feed him. If someone is thirsty, give him something to drink. If someone is naked, clothe him. If someone is lonely, visit him. If someone is friendless, you be his friend.
Now one can imagine, looking out over the massive crowd the disciples must have felt overwhelmed. But Jesus wasn't planning on leaving them high and dry. He was planning on meeting the need of the crowd supernaturally through them. There job was to help to distribute His blessing. He knows the crowd before you today is massive. He won't leave you high and dry either but the crowd before you is hungry and it is time to feed them.
It's called needs-based evangelism. It's a simple concept. The body of Christ going out into a needy world and meeting their needs. It's about service. It's about going the extra mile and most importantly it's about serving others in His name and giving Him the Glory. It may well be the easiest form of evangelism there is. It's definitely one that anyone can do. Meet a person's needs and when they thank you, direct the glory to the One to whom it belongs. It's not a program, it's a way of life for a person with a living faith. It's largely one on one evangelism, sharing His love one neighbor at a time.
It stands to reason that if you meet a person's need, they will be receptive to what you have to say. This is not always the case but we do these things on faith. Sometimes we get to plant the seed and someone else gets to see the harvest and God brings the growth but there will be no harvest if the seeds are not planted.
If you see a need, meet it and meet it in Jesus' name. Remember what He said? Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me! GO!
Copyright 2002, Dave Weiss. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
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About Dave Weiss: Dave Weiss is a youth leader, speaker, writer and licensed minister in the Church of the Brethren and resides in Mohrsville, PA. He is a member of the Write Group for Interlinc's Youth Leader's Only, a youth ministry resource. He has written "Interlinc's Festival Survival Guide." For more on Dave's Ministry go to http://www.radicallyreal.com
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