Jude 1:22 ‘And of some have compassion, making a difference: ‘

DAILY READING; • 1 Corinthians 5; 1 Kings 18; Amos 2:1-3:2

At 29,000 feet, Mount Everest is the world’s highest peak. Unfortunately, in an attempt to climb it, some people die in the process.
On Mount Everest, there is a realm called the death zone, which is 26,000 feet above. There, it is very cold and so deprived of oxygen that it’s not compatible with human life. In this area many mountain climbers have died.
Some of these victims could have survived, but often no other climber was willing to stop and help them because they didn’t want to give up their dream of reaching the top of Everest.
In 2006, many News outlets reported the unusual story of an American named Daniel Mazur, who had almost reached the top of Everest, yet abandoned his dream so as to rescue a British climber, Lincoln Hall who was left for dead.
After reaching the top of Everest, Lincoln Hall was on his way down, when he suffered from altitude sickness and lost consciousness. He was left for dead on the mountain by his guides and the next day, his crew released a statement announcing his death. Left alone, Hall spent the night on the mountain with no hat, gloves or oxygen bottles, miraculously in night he woke up feeling disoriented and hallucinating.
The next day, Daniel Mazur and his climbing group were on their way up when they came across Hall, who was quite weak.
As Daniel and his team tried to help Hall to safety, other climbers who passed by at that moment refused to stop and assist them.
Though Daniel and two men with him were very close to reaching the summit, they sacrificed their goal, so that Lincoln Hall could live. They spent many hours bringing Hall down from the mountain.
Interestingly, Lincoln Hall had been rescued, just few feet from the place where another climber, David Sharp, had died only days before. His death had ignited much controversy and public outcry because while he lay dying, other climbers had passed him with none stopping to help him not wanting to risk giving up on their own Everest glory. Indeed many climbers are so ambitious about reaching the peak of Mount Everest that they would leave struggling or dying trekkers to their fate.

In the story of the Good Samaritan, the priest, and the Levite saw a man left for dead and took to the other side of the road. But when the Samaritan came by and saw him, he stopped and took care of him.
Often times, like the priest and Levite, people tend to take the other side of the road when they see someone in need.

It’s tempting to go through life focused only on ourselves, our goals and our dreams, not caring about what is going on in other people’s lives. But when we make the sacrifice of helping others, God will always take care of us.
It is God’s will that we bear each other’s burden by looking beyond our own needs to be a blessing.
We all have hearts of compassion that God wants to work through to reach people. When we open up our hearts, we can become the channel of God’s miracle to others.
There are people we know who are struggling with negative medical reports, family problems, financial troubles etc. An encouraging phone call to them could be the sign they need from God that things are going to work out well. Taking few minutes to pray with them can make all the difference in their lives..
Most of the people that come our way in life are not by accident. God put them there on purpose and He’s counting on us to make a difference.
There are unbelievers around us who are on their way to hell. We can make a huge difference in their eternal destiny by preaching to them and praying for their salvation.
Many of us may not be able to go all around the world preaching the Gospel but we can sow financial seeds towards the spreading of the Gospel. Especially in these perilous last days, helping men’s destinies should become a burning issue in our hearts.
The world is full of hurting people, even in the Church. They need someone to reach out in love.
Today, let us receive the grace to overcome selfishness and self-centeredness and reach out to help others. Let us not love in words alone but also in deeds. Let us be physical manifestations of Jesus to the world around us.
And as we sow good seeds in love, we shall reap a harvest of overflowing blessings. What we make happen for others, God will make happen in multiplied forms in our lives.

PRAYER: Lord, I receive the grace today to begin sowing good seeds of love into the lives of people around me. As I do, I thank You Lord for causing me to reap an amazing harvest of blessings in Jesus Name.
QUOTE;
When you obey God’s instruction you are delivered from destruction. WORDBITE 222