There are times when you have to work pretty hard to get into a position not to share. Sometimes we have to go through some mental gymnastics not to help. The story of the Good Samaritan ends with the words “go and do likewise” Luke 10:25-37. There are books written and they get handed out at mission conferences that get us into the position not to share. In preparing to go on short term mission trips you will get a host of things that you shouldn’t do that are meant to keep you from sharing.
I can never sort through the mass of motives that I have for doing anything. If I were inclined to study my reason for doing things I would find nothing but darkness and death. My motive must come from Christ’s mercy to me empowering me to be merciful. In fact there seems to be ample Biblical evidence that Christians simply “Do” and don’t think about it too much if at all.
I cannot sort through all of the results of what happened to the recipients of my help. Did they take my gift and waste it? Did they use it for the purpose I intended? Did they share it? Did it do more harm than good?
Were some of the limbs that Jesus healed and made whole used to commit crimes? Did some of the tongues that were unloosed and allowed to speak later utter blasphemy? Did those who had made their living begging before Jesus came along continue begging after he healed them? Probably. So should we conclude that they would have been better never having had the contact with Jesus?
There comes a time when all of this is stripped away and we simply respond out of faith and respond to our merciful Lord and go and do likewise.
