Helping or Hindering…

 

This weeks chapters in A Woman After God’s Own Heart dealt with our role as a wife.  They were very convicting chapters!

As wives we are called to be helpers to our husbands.  So one thing she asked was if the things we do are a help to him or do they hinder him. 

He has a responsibility to provide for our family… am I actively helping him, or am I hindering him by placing extra demands on his time, spending our money unwisely, or constantly nagging him to do more.

He has a responsibility to be the spiritual head of our family… am I helping him to achieve that, or am I hindering by pointing out all his shortcomings and failures, taking over the role myself (he won’t stand up and fill in the gap if I’ve already done it and there’s no gap to fill), or failing to follow Christ myself in the fullness that I know to do.

There are so many little things we can do for our husbands that don’t take a lot of effort on our part but they can mean so much to them.  For Brian one thing I can do is make sure there’s always sweet tea available for him to drink… that’s it, not a big deal but it means a lot to him.

Yesterday while I was working in the garden God really spoke to me about this.  It’s good advice and something we should be aware of in our marriages, but it also applies to other relationships.

Our friends, are we helping or hindering their walk with God?  Acquaintances, same question… when they see us do they see Jesus or do our actions hinder them in their walk?

Our actions have consequences, and many times they are consequences we would never dream of.  Look at Eve, one little piece of fruit and humanity is still reaping the consequences. 

We must be very cautious in what we say and do.  That news we just have to share… is it going to help or hinder the one we tell? How about the one they tell? Or the one we’re talking about?

We try to justify, “It’s true, so it’s not really gossip”, or “They need to know what so-and-so is really like.” But the Bible says differently.

Proverbs 11:13 ~ A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

Proverbs 18:8 ~ The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

Proverbs 20:19 ~ He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

Proverbs 26:20 ~ Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

Just recently I had to apologize to someone for being a talebearer.  What I told was true and really wasn’t a surprise to the one I told… but it didn’t concern me and did absolutely nothing to uplift or encourage anyone, so I should have kept my mouth shut!

I’ve said it before, but I’m going to say it again!… We are the light of the world, a city set on a hill can not be hid.  For better or worse our light is shining before men… does what people see cause them to glorify our Father in heaven or does it hinder them?