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To help not to be helped.

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I just finished working at the Furniture Market, where thousands of out- of-town guests converge on our lovely city. I was hired as a “helper,” assisting a sales representative with his furniture line in a showroom. In this role, I talk to people, answer questions and place orders. It works out well for me because I love people. I really enjoy helping people.
The definition of the word ‘help’ is;
  • to make it easier for (someone)
  • to do something by offering one’s services or resources.
  • to assist, aid, help out,
  • to lend a hand to, lend a helping hand to, give assistance to. 

As much as I love helping people, I found myself quickly falling back into my old ways. Helping for the sake of helping is honorable. Helping to get ahead is something entirely different. With hidden thoughts of “what can you do for me,” or “how can I promote my book?,” I realized I was helping to be helped. Do you know what I mean? With my newly self-published book only four weeks old, it is easy to direct conversations back to the book and back to me. This “me’ mentality leaves little room for helping others because all I am really doing is helping myself. I’m reminded of the scripture in Matthew that says, “…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve…” It resonates and I search for a deeper meaning within the text. I’m led to Philippians.

Philippians 2:5-8 says, 

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature[a] God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

As I read the words, they both sting and sooth. Paul tells us to “do nothing out of selfish ambition.” This market has made me rather aware of how selfish I really am. Next, ‘not looking to your own interests but rather to the interests of others.” This is a hard lesson. How can I not look at myself but instead to others? And can I help with a pure intention of helping? As I read the text above, I find my answer. It is not an easy one. We have to have the mindset of Christ. In humble obedience, Jesus helped for the sake of helping. And he took this mindset all the way to the cross. He helped us.
So, as you go through this day, intentionally look for ways to help others for the sole purpose of helping. Not because it makes you look good or feel good or gets you ahead. Help for the sake of helping. And look to Christ who helped us more than we could have ever asked for.
Let us pray.
Holy God, thank you for continuing to show me your ways. Forgive me when I get caught up in myself and make it all about me. Give me the mind of Christ so that I can help for the sake of helping. In Jesus Name, Amen. -M

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