Our Responsibility Toward Others
We have a responsibility to take care of our families and provide for their needs. The Bible says, “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (1 Timothy 5:8) The Bible also commands that we do all we can to help those who are genuinely in need. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus tells of a man who was severely beaten by robbers and left for dead by the side of the road. The first two men who encountered the man passed him by, but the third stopped. He bound up the man’s wounds, took him to the nearest town, and even paid for his care. Jesus’ comment was clear, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37) Does this mean we shouldn’t be wise and discerning? Of course not. Sometimes the best way to help someone is to say no to their request for money and then point them to the assistance they really need. When we love people the way God loves them, we try to meet their deepest needs. If we open our heart to Christ and let His love begin to flow through us, we never have to worry about making the wrong decision to help people.
