How Far Do We Go?

Recently I was challenged with how far we should go to help others. Not in a traditional how much to spend, or how long to stay kind of way, but rather in a conflict of beliefs kind of way. Let me give you an example:

Let’s say we have a family who is Mormon and they lose their house in a tornado. Most Christians wouldn’t think twice about whether or not to help them, it’s a resounding yes. People are in need and we need to help. The real question comes in when asked what to do if their place of worship was in need of repair. How far do we go here? Helping the person in one thing, but helping the religion is another.

The lines are not so clear here. In one instance we are spreading the love of Christ, in the other it could be argued that we are helping them spread their beliefs. When asked how far I would go I didn’t really have a clear answer. It is hard to say how far I would go. My heart says to help them because Jesus really had no boundaries outside of the overly religious. So who am I to turn away helping someone in need, organization or otherwise?

Then the question arises, what about a porn shop or a bar? What about helping prostitutes at a brothel to improve their living conditions? Now the lines are even harder to discern. How far can we go spreading the love of Christ before we get into enabling people to live outside of God’s best for them?

Honestly, the only answer I can come up with is that I would have to pray about it. I do believe that God could use us to help people living ungodly lives to live at a higher level of life. I see Jesus in the Gospels reaching out to all kinds of people in all kinds of situations and helping them see who He was by the acts He performed, miracle or otherwise. We can see Him showing unconditional love to the woman at the well who was living in an ungodly situation, with Him only making mention of her lifestyle. Then we see Him talking to the woman caught in adultery and here Him clearly tell her to “go and sin no more.” I read a story about a woman in Hong Kong who was giving drug money to a man so he could keep his habit up while she ministered to him. He eventually got saved and off drugs. Was she wrong in her approach? Maybe, but one thing is for sure, it worked!

No matter where we fall in line with these questions, there is one thing I know, regardless of how people are living, or the situations they are in, we are ALWAYS called to love them. How that loves takes form can look many different ways. For my wife and I, we choose to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit on the inside and let God have His way in the situation. So, if you hear about us doing work in a crazy place you can be sure of this, we heard from God.

How far would you be willing to go? Would you be willing to cross the “religious” lines to help someone in need?