Second, Do Good

We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? 1 John 3:16-17

Late in 1739, John Wesley, founder of Methodism, was approached by a group of people seeking his guidance. They were seekers “deeply convinced of sin” who were hoping he’d advise them. How were they to “flee from the wrath to come”?

Wesley set up weekly meetings when they could come together, to support each other, share wisdom, and pray. This was the beginning of the United Society – “a company of men [sic] having the form and seeking the power of godliness, united in order to pray together, to receive the word of exhortation, and to watch over one another in love, that they may help each other to work out their salvation.”[1]

It was expected that everyone who was a part of one of these small groups (for tho’ it started with only one, the idea – and so, the number of groups – grew exponentially) would “continue to evidence their desire of salvation,

First: By doing no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind …
      (I talked about this in previous entries here and here.)
Secondly: By doing good; by being in every kind merciful after their power; as they have opportunity, doing good of every possible sort, and, as far as possible, to all men (sic).
Thirdly: By… (wait! that’s for another installment)

I’ve heard people say that they’re not vocal about their faith because Christianity has gotten such a bad reputation. Supposed Christians spout their faith but turn away from the needs around them, taking care of themselves but not really paying more than lip service to other people or to the world.

I’ve read that a major reason young adults aren’t interested in church is that we’re such a collection of hypocrites. Too many churchgoers are concerned about what happens in their bibles or in their church buildings but never notice what’s beyond those walls.

And, though I don’t like that it's true, I admit that it is. And it’s not just “them;” too often it’s us, too.

Now Wesley did not write the following, although he may certainly have inspired it.

“Do all the good you can,
by all the means you can,
in all the ways you can,
in all the places you can,
at all the times you can,
to all the people you can,
as long as ever you can.”

So do I give a dollar bill to the woman with the sign on the street corner, or do I drive on, telling myself that she probably just works that corner, and has a nice set-up. I don’t know. What I do know is about the time, I believe my better self stepped in.

I was alone in my car after picking up a few things in the store. I was putting on my seatbelt when a light tapping on the window made me look up. A man, neither old nor young but dressed in a raggedly hoodie and jacket, apologized for approaching me, but said he was hungry. Did I have something I could share?

When I gave him the bag of bagels I’d just bought for myself, his gratitude was immense.

 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Mark 12:30-31

______

[1] From The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church — 2012 as found at umc.org/what-we-believe/general-rules-of-the-methodist-church