Don’t Be “That Guy”

We Baptists are an interesting lot…  We DO believe (as Paul wrote) that we are saved by the GRACE OF GOD ALONE.  Not by works, so that no one can boast.  And, yet, we need to GET TO WORK!!  Not to earn salvation, mind you.  We cannot do that.  But shouldn’t our love relationship with God motivate us to do what He calls us to do???

A few years ago on a mission trip, I rode with some of our people to deliver boxes of food to an orphanage.  There were a ton of boxes from a hunger relief agency we had been able to secure and ship over, and we were delivering them.  The awesome part of that delivery was the joy on the faces of those children, NOT because of the food, but simply because we were there.  Our presence caused quite an out-pouring of joy from those kids:  I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anyone so glad to see me (and the others)!!!

As we helped unload and store the boxes, another interesting sight … Something not seen often in this village … A shiny new car pulled up.  Two men and two women got out of the car and walked to the orphanage.  These four all were well-dressed, something not seen often in this village.  The sparkling-clean white shirt, worn by the leader, almost required sunglasses just to gaze upon him.  And, by his actions, it was clear that he was someone very important.

He walked up and began to shake our hands.  He spoke to a few of the kids and the women who ran the orphanage.  He then picked up a child and walked over beside the boxes.  The other man with him got several shots of the leader with his Nikon camera.  Then, as quickly as they arrived, POOF!!  They were gone.

It all happened so quickly… NONE of us knew who he was or what had just happened.  A translator later explained to me this man was a regional governor.  Someone had tipped him off that we were delivering food.  He came out and took a few pictures.  The translator told me a few days after we returned to the US, there would be a newspaper article praising this governor for the way he provides for the orphans.   And this was his usual practice!!!

Okay, so that kind of made me mad for a little while.  But here is the rub:

• WE DID NOT DO THAT FOR FAME.
• WE DID NOT DO THAT TO MAKE OURSELVES FEEL BETTER ABOUT US
• WE DID NOT DO THAT FOR CREDIT, OR TO EARN AN IOTA OF SALVATION

So, in the grand scheme of things, WHAT DOES IT MATTER??  GOD KNOWS WHO DID IT.  AND GOD KNOWS WHY.  Do YOU know why??

We took that food because God called us to take it.  Because God opened doors for us to be able to do so.  We did this because He called us to do it.  And that is all of the reward we should ever need.

I never checked to see if that man posted pictures or used that action to boost himself.  And, it really doesn’t matter now, does it??