OTHERS ...

I was sitting here thinking, what will I share this evening? I have been reading some more of Prayer Coach and the need to confess before God our sin (another time perhaps). At CitySalvos tonight I was reminded of the need to give and where the motivation might come for that. Yet, as I pondered I thought again of the attention being removed from me, from self, to think about and be about "OTHERS".

The story goes that General William Booth (Founder of The Salvation Army) wanted to get a message out to his people one Christmas, in those days telegrams were the means of communication, however you payed per letter/word, etc. The Salvation Army back then was not very financial, so General William Booth decided that one word sufficed - "OTHERS". That is what we are about, their needs, their souls, their salvation.

We do well to keep this in mind today. It is so easy to be attentive to my needs, my desires, my comfort, or what I want. But what about the people I am called to serve, to minister too? What about their needs? The other aspect is in realising that what I seek for myself is usually items, additions, belongings. Justifiable? - of course, well in my mind at the time. Essential? Probably not. What if I was to change some priorities? What difference might this make in the life of another? Or a community?

"Lord, it is easy to think about self. To be caught up in what I desire, what I want, what catches my eye. Help me to stop, to reflect, to not be compulsive and to listen to You. What is Your take on the situation? What is it You require of me? How might I be more aware of and respond to the need of OTHERS? Help me to be faithful in my response."