I DON'T NEED HELP!!

          I’m sure we have all seen an increase of panhandlers standing on the corners here in Grand Rapids.  The look of this sign is pretty familiar, but when you read this sign, it is very different.  Normally what we see people asking for help.  The signs speak of everything from" health issues" to" parent of kids and they are homeless" to" lost my job and can’t feed my dog" to "homeless vet."  Some write whatever they can to pull at the heart strings of the generous West Michigan residents.  This is not going to be about whether or not those people are being honest, what they use the money for or whether or not we should help. This is about is a very simple question.  How many times do you hold this sign up to God?

          We are all guilty.  At some point, and some of us at many points of our lives, pray to God for his direction but hidden in our hearts is this sign saying “I DON’T need help!”    At Super Saturday, Alf, UFM’s Executive Director, taught a lesson on this sign.  He had a couple boys perform a skit where they walked past the young man holding this sign and offering him things like a coat, food, etc.  He shook them off, refusing their aid.  Alf used this skit to talk about the first beatitude found in Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are those who are spiritually needy.    The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.” (NIVR)  He shared with the kids how we walk around holding this sign up to God quite often.  We might be asking for his guidance or we don’t think his guidance is needed because “We got this,” but our God wants to be in every detail of our lives… the little ones and the big ones.  We need to cross off the “don’t” and beg God to be  our helper, our strength, our refuge.  Our trust should be in HIM, not ourselves.

How often do YOU hold this sign up with the word DON’T?