And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.
2 Thessalonians 3:13 (NIV)
Today, I'm grateful that The United Methodist Church taught me to do good things for others.
"Doing good" is the second of three of John Wesley's General Rules for the church that United Methodists are supposed to not only memorize but to incorporate into their living.
As I've served United Methodist churches throughout my adult life, I've always been impressed by the amount of leadership shown in the surrounding communities by the people in the congregation.
When I was in Drummond, it was the United Methodists who took on many of the volunteer roles for the community. They even pressed me into service for a short season as a town council member. This is a chance to do good for your neighbor when it comes to some of the basics of their lives.
In Piedmont, I've mentioned the Senior Lunch program which did a lot of good for those retired adults living in the surrounding community.
When I got to Edmond, I was surprised by the amount of programming the church did in regards to helping others. It seemed that we were always announcing things we were doing on behalf of the community. I had a hard time keeping up with all of it!
I think one of the last programs I heard about was the Boulevard Buddies that was led by Ellen Lyons.
The Boulevard Academy is an alternative high school that sits across the street from Edmond First United Methodist Church. From their website, it is designed for "High school students, who for one reason or another, have fallen behind on high school graduation requirements and need an alternative to the regular school setting to fulfill their graduation goals."
The Boulevard Buddies is a program at the church led by the laity who provide for the extra needs of these students whether that be clothing, school supplies or even food for meals. Each fall, they would give the kitchen crew a break and provide a homemade Thanksgiving meal for the students. As I got to serve this meal during my time as pastor there, I was so impressed with the student body coming through to receive it. For the most part, they were thankful of our support, courteous and seemed genuinely happy to be there. This was a joy to do and I so appreciate this organization for the work they do!
When we do good for others and they receive it well, it makes us feel good and it may give us positive feedback that encourages us to repeat the effort! This is typical of any mission endeavor that seeks to help people.
But I have also been in other mission situations where people have not been appreciative. This is where observing the second rule of Wesley becomes challenging.
Have you ever served a meal to someone who needed it but did not seem grateful? We may struggle with our feelings at this point or it may put us off entirely from helping others. When this happens, we are letting those who are hurting (and maybe somewhat bitter) to become our teachers.
As Christians (especially during Lent), we remember the suffering by our Lord and we recognize that he didn't seem to begrudge even those responsible for it. Rather, we engage in doing good because we believe it is transformative. We engage in doing good because it is the right way to be.
We engage in doing good because we regularly pray, "thy kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven."
How might you help God make this come true in your corner of the world today?
Photo taken by Ellen Lyons, used by permission.
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