Reaching Out In Obedience
BRD REFLECTION 2025
Proverbs 18, 19 and Psalm 113 (NIV)
(Wendy Chiam from Small Group Ministry)
READ:
Proverbs 18 & 19 is wise counsel addressing human behaviour, relationships, and morality, and Psalm 113 is a hymn of praise and highlights God’s care for the lowly. The following verses stood out for me.
Proverbs 19:17 “One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, And He will repay him for his good deed.”
Psalm 113:7-8 “He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the garage heap, To seat them with noblemen, With the noblemen of His people.”
Proverbs 19:23 “The fear of the LORD leads to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.”
OBSERVE:
Like many other verses in the Bible (eg. Matthew 25:40), Proverbs 19:17 and Psalm 113:7-8 reminded me of God’s heart for the least, the last and the lost. As His disciple, we too, must act with compassion and generosity. Only then, can we offer hope to those in despair and inspire them to trust in God’s ability to transform lives just as He raises the poor from the dust…and make them sit with noblemen.
The fear of the LORD is unlike our worldly fear where we lose sleep. Instead, it gives us the assurance that when we revere and obey God, this ‘fear’ brings us spiritual and practical blessings.
APPLY:
For a long time, I knew that God had placed in my heart to reach out to the vulnerable by serving in the Prison Ministry. However, having grown up in a traditional Asian family, I am more of an introvert and not very expressive in my emotions. Since this was out of my comfort zone, I put off this calling.
God being God, is always creating new opportunities to nudge me into serving. So, when I finally put aside my reservations and obeyed Him, He prepared my path and led me to serve in various ministries. While serving in Wesley Prison Ministry – Care Club, journeying with vulnerable children, I learnt to put away my self-righteousness and look at these children just as they are – children. As I put on a compassionate heart in journeying with these children, I experienced the immense joy and blessings that outweighed my reservations..
DO:
When writing this devotion, a song by Steve Camp “Don’t Tell Them Jesus Loves Them” came to mind.
“Don’t tell them Jesus loves them till you’re ready to love them too
Till your heart breaks from the sorrow and the pain they’re going through
With a life full of compassion may we do what we must do
Don’t tell them Jesus loves them till you’re ready to love them too.”
PRAY:
Lord, indeed the harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few. May we look up and reach out to the lost, the last and the least with the compassion and generosity that You have shown us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
