Weekly Memory Verse

How's everyone doing with the weekly memory verse? I've memorized this one--not too long or difficult to memorize:

He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord and He will reward them for what he has done....Proverbs 19:17

When I first read this Scripture for memorization, some other verses came immediately into my mind:

Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?"

The King will reply, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."....Matthew 25:37:40

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things human beings look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."....1 Samuel 16:7

As I memorized the weekly memory verse and added these few verses in to ponder upon, I searched further into my Bible. And I came to Philippians 2:5-11:

In your relationships with one another, have the same ATTITUDE of MIND Christ Jesus had:

Who being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God
something to be used to His own advantage;
rather, He made Himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a human being,
He humbled Himself
by becoming obedient to death--
even death on a cross!

Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest place
and gave Him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in Heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that
JESUS CHRIST IS LORD,
to the glory of God the Father.

This one verse from Proverbs, a verse that was easy to memorize, speaks volumes. It speaks of our need for humility, our need for discipleship, our need to strive to become more Christ-like in attitude and mind every day, every moment of our lives--and most of all the need to put aside our own wants and needs and to develop the heart of a servant.

Jesus did not come to be served as most kings of this time. He came to show us how to be effective servants. He did not come to make more laws and rules for us to follow, but to change the condition of our hearts.

Our hearts--that is what the LORD is looking at! He is not looking at our clothing, our cars, our homes-- He is looking into our hearts and seeing what is truly there.

Are we feeling kindly towards others? Are we helping those in need? Are we available at times when we are being called by God to be His hands and feet?

I know that in our area we have had quite a cold snap. One day the temperature didn't rise about 10 degrees. I heard on the radio that 65 homeless people had willingly come into a local shelter that evening, and there were people on the streets looking and gathering more to come to the shelter. This is servanthood. This is having the heart of Jesus.

Then, of course, all these people needed to be fed, needed a place to sleep, needed extra blankets and pillows.

I don't have a lot of extra financial resources that I can go and buy new items to donate. But, surely in my home I have an extra blanket and pillow, some canned goods that can be donated to this mission to help feed the people who came seeking shelter from the freezing cold.

This is what this verse has spoken to me this week:

Use what you have. Use the resources that are at your own fingertips. If I don't have any items to donate to others, I have some time. I can use that time to go to the shelter, help prepare and serve meals.

There is a church in the city that is closest to me that serves a hot meal to the homeless every evening. They are always looking for people to come and help prepare and serve the meals, clean up afterwards.

Doing these things not only helps others, it helps us. We learn to be humble, have the heart of Jesus. There is nothing different between the rich and the poor except for our circumstances. We are all unique, but we share one quality: We were all created by God. He loves each of us--regardless of our circumstances.

This is what is meant by being "kind to the poor". For in doing these things for others, we are doing the same for Our God, and our reward will be great--an eternity spent with Him in Heaven.

What did this verse speak to you this week?

Now, we'll move on to next week's verse:

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have
been established by God.....Romans 13:1

A little more difficult to memorize, but appropriate for this coming week.

I'm looking forward to reading what last week's verse spoke to you as an individual.

Beth