“Daily, the news stories capture our attention: public servants–some paid, some volunteer–who respond to emergencies of every type. Outwardly, they are known by their bright and well-recognized garb: hats, boots, coats that identify these persons as first responders in times of great need. We applaud their success and mourn with their families and communities when some make the ultimate sacrifice to save the lives of others.
In the local church community, we have the opportunity to learn to be first responders, offering the generosity of God. This generosity was revealed when God gave the world Jesus Christ. God’s Son expresses the depth of God’s generosity. Like those who are trained for work in perilous circumstances, God calls us to be fearless in our living, our giving, and our service.
The local church community is the primary place for cultivating an attitude and practice of generosity. Here we are taught what it means to be stewards of all that we have. Here we are taught how to give or offer the time, spiritual gifts, skill sets, and finances with which we have been entrusted.”
Michelle Cobb in “God’s First Responders” issue of Giving: Growing Joyful Stewards in Your Congregation, Vol. 16 (Blaine: ESC, 2014) 12-13.
Do we train people in our churches to maintain such a responsive posture to reflect God’s love and generosity?
This is precisely what Jesus did when he taught His disciples about the good Samaritan (cf. Luke 10:25-37. This idea particularly impacted my students this week: to train people to always be ready to deploy themselves and their resources to show God’s love. We discuss how sometimes this is inconvenient, expensive, and even dangerous.
A few students joined my class at the last minute because the MERS breakout caused another modular class to be cancelled because the visiting professor chose not to come to South Korea. My students thanked me for coming despite the perceived danger. The responsiveness of this class has been a highlight of my academic teaching career. These students aspire to serve the Lord all over Asia.
Their gratitude has led me to wonder about the man served by the good Samaritan in the story of Jesus. I’ll bet he went on to show the same Christ-like kindness that he received to others for the rest of his life!