Martin Luther said God does not need our good works, but our neighbor does. Through Christ’s love, God has set us free to serve Him and to serve others.
Who can argue with extending love and serving others? Problems can arise in a relationship when we become locked into a pattern of giving and others become locked into receiving. Giving in Christ is not meant to be an exchange. We shouldn’t give to others for the purpose of expecting something in return. We give because of who we are in Jesus Christ. 1 John 4:19 states, “We love because God first loved us.”
We might help someone who cannot take care of things for themself. This can be a real lifeline for a person. There are also times when our Christian love provides something the person can provide for themself. Sometimes this leads to dependency and creating dependency does not always equate with love. A basic concept to use as a guide is found in 1 Corinthians 8:1, “Love builds up.” Depending on the circumstances, both giving and not giving have the potential to build up others.
So, when do we help someone and when do we decide not to help? There is no single answer to this question. We do know that serving others only for the purpose of getting something in return is not true Christian love. At worst, it is manipulation. Christian love also does not create unhealthy dependencies.
If we stay focused on the basic rule of building up others, we can serve as God intended. And hopefully, those we serve will, in turn, serve others.
