Going out of Your Way

What does God expect us to do for others?

Well in short, anything and everything that we possibly can. How scary is that? Putting others above ourselves? It almost seems contradictory to human nature, but I believe that is part of the challenge. It is not easy, but God expects us to do what Jesus taught us: to "to treat others as you wish to be treated." Now this blog is about everyday Christian life, so lets apply it to the everyday scenario. What does God expect us to do on a daily basis? The answer remains the same: everything and anything. However if you think about it, it really isn't that hard. Giving someone a ride home for school, taking on some extra work for your buddy, these things do not need to be difficult, they just need to be sincere. If someone asks for help, give it and give it as fully as you possibly can. If someone appears to need help, do the same. If someone is doing perfectly fine, boost them up farther. Do these things without a thought about any inconvenience it might cause you. We must go out of our way. Giving compliments, gifts and friendly conversations; deeds like these will help us grow together as a community and in turn, as a community closer to God.

We cannot expect any personal benefit in return for our good deeds. The Jesuit "Prayer for Generosity" is something we students at strake pray together once a week. It illustrates the content of a true charitable heart. "To labor and not to ask for reward, save that of knowing I do your will." God calls us not to hold others indebt to our charity. It is charity after all, not some kind of loan of good will. That last part is important however: "Save that of knowing I do your will." There is something in every human heart that makes us happy when we help others. Something that makes us feel like maybe charity is not so far out of the realm of human nature after all. Something that makes us feel like maybe God is happy with us, and I feel like this is what our prayer is talking about: the joy of doing the work of the lord. It is more than enough to repay any good deed.

At some points in our lives God may call us to make great sacrifices for those around us. Relief workers who spend their lives in third world countries, non profit organizations that build homes for the poor, even our own mothers have all spent a considerable amount of time and effort to raise us. These kinds of people have answered Christ's commandment of love above all others. They have gone beyond to reaches of daily charity and instead dedicated their lives to such acts. And if you ask me, if they do it in the name of God, there will be no happier people to be found on the face of the earth.

-Austin