Selfish Altruism; Happy Obedience

I just heard this song for the first time this morning. It was shared with me by a fellow blogger who is going through a really tough time right now. God has blessed me with the honor of knowing her through one of my other blogs and becoming friends with her....And this week, I am privileged to be able to encourage her "with the comfort I myself have received" (see reference quoted below)...as I try to help her through this storm.

We have shared music together that has blessed us both and encouraged us now and in past times of hardship. She has put together a play list which she will share on her own blog on Wordpress.(http://razzler.wordpress.com/

This is her blog URL, the URL for the playlist is as follows: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=66E44DE698355A37)

This morning she expressed to me her desire to help other people as she had been helped by me this week...and that is why she put together this play list. As I responded to that comment of hers about helping others...some things occurred to me which seem important and which I will share with you here...Not only to help you, but so that, once more, through my writing, I will be able to fully incorporate a reality for myself as well.

Some of the things I told her were these:

It is important - and Scriptural I might add (see below reference) - to pass on to others the helping hand that we have received from others sources, be they people, God's Word, our own experience or from where ever they may come. It is important because of lots of reasons...some altruistic and some "selfish"... For one: that is one of the most important ways that God's love is transmitted throughout this earth. People who have accomplished the most in this world as far as helping the down and out and less fortunate, are those who have a relationship with the loving God of all the Heavens and the Earth. People such as Mother Teresa, William Booth (founder of the Salvation Army), Harriet Beecher Stowe (famous abolitionist), William Wilberforce (who fought for and attained legislation banning slavery in England) and numerous others were all people who shared a great faith and not only believed it quietly, but tried to end suffering where they saw it and ended up changing the world as a result.

And we too, carry on that torch in both large and small ways.

And for myself; there is no greater joy that I have in my life but to be able to be one of those who embrace a hurting soul and display to them through my life story and the lessons I've learned there, how God can minister to them also and bring them from the darkness into his glorious Light.

• So for one thing; doing this work brings me joy. And joy keeps me well.

• The second way it benefits me is this: once I've shared my life story and the lessons it has taught me, I feel a great sense of obligation to the person or people whom I've helped. I feel obliged to pray for them on a daily basis. And I believe that for me, personally, this is an area in which God has gifted me and a task that he has given me that takes supremacy above all else in my life. And prayer keeps me close to God myself...It makes me accountable to him to keep my life clean and my heart pure before God...and a pure heart helps me stay close to God, because on my own, it is impossible for me to maintain innocence before God. And this too, is of great benefit to me, both now and eternally.

• And thirdly, it provides me with new friendships. And friendships, as all of us know, contribute to wellness and our quality of life.

• Fourthly (and I'll make this my last even though I could probably keep going...), it keeps me accountable to the person whom I've helped. In other words, I have an obligation to that person to take care of myself and stay well myself. This is a huge motivation for me....this obligation. Once before in my life, I had a position of leadership and was a role model for many teens. (I am not bragging here...it is just the way it was...I was a late teen myself at the time)...And I became mentally ill. That is not the problem. The problem is that in my anger at God's allowing this illness, I completely rejected him and wandered off into deep and dark places for the succeeding ten or fifteen years. As a result, many of those kids who looked up to me as a spiritual example were greatly discouraged. Later in life, as the truth of what I'd done and the damage I'd done, came back to haunt me, I recognized and mourned this great wrong I'd done to them...And thus, it is extremely important to me to not repeat that error. That sin. Because as God's Word teaches, those in positions of leadership are held doubly accountable before God for the manner in which they live. It is no light task you undertake when you mentor someone...It is a grave responsibility. And I take it that way. And that too, keeps me well.

So, thank you to those who've allowed me entrance into their lives and hearts...because you have, in turn, helped me...by keeping me well...mentally and spiritually.

Scripture References:

2 Corinthians 1:4 (New Living Translation)
He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

1 Peter 2:9 (New Living Translation)

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.