The 2nd General Rule of the Methodist Societies
Secondly, by doing good, by being in every kind merciful after their
power as they have opportunity, doing good of every possible sort, and, as far
as possible, to all men.
To their bodies, of the ability which God giveth; by giving food to the hungry; by clothing the naked, by visiting or helping them that are sick or in prison.
To their souls, by instructing, reproving, or exhorting all that we have any intercourse with; trampling under foot that enthusiastic doctrine that "We are not to do good unless our hearts be free to do it."
By doing good especially to them that are of the household of faith, or groaning so to be; employing them preferably to others; buying one of another; helping one other in business, and so much the more because the world will love its own, and them only.
By all possible diligence and frugality, that the gospel be not blamed. By running with patience the race set before them, denying themselves and taking up their cross daily; submitting to bear the reproach of Christ; to bear the filth and off-scouring of the world; and looking that men should say all manner of evil of them for the Lord's sake.
To their bodies, of the ability which God giveth; by giving food to the hungry; by clothing the naked, by visiting or helping them that are sick or in prison.
To their souls, by instructing, reproving, or exhorting all that we have any intercourse with; trampling under foot that enthusiastic doctrine that "We are not to do good unless our hearts be free to do it."
By doing good especially to them that are of the household of faith, or groaning so to be; employing them preferably to others; buying one of another; helping one other in business, and so much the more because the world will love its own, and them only.
By all possible diligence and frugality, that the gospel be not blamed. By running with patience the race set before them, denying themselves and taking up their cross daily; submitting to bear the reproach of Christ; to bear the filth and off-scouring of the world; and looking that men should say all manner of evil of them for the Lord's sake.
Let’s begin with an assumption. I
assume that every Christian knows that he/ she is supposed to help people.
…
Well, now I’m thinking about that…
Let me begin with a statement: Every Christian is supposed to help people.
The apostle John said, “Whoever has
this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from
him, how does the love of God abide in him?”
(1 John 3: 17) And for when you respond that, “I LOVE everybody,” John
adds, “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed
and in truth.” (verse 18)
We worship in spirit and in truth
(John 4: ) but we love in DEED and in
truth. In the 2nd General Rule of Methodism,
John Wesley put it like this:
It
is therefore, expected of all who continue therein that they shall continue to
evidence their desire of salvation,…secondly, by doing
good, by being in every kind merciful after their power as they have
opportunity, doing good of every possible sort, and, as far as possible, to all
men.
In other words,
 |
| Technically, this is a popular misquotation, but it does accurately reflect Wesley's sentiments. |
In John 6: 1-14, Jesus fed people
because their bodies needed food and they weren’t in a place to provide food
for themselves. But in John 6: 22-59,
when those same people showed up looking for more free food, Jesus didn’t feed
them. He preached to them about the
bread of life. Sometimes there’s a
need of the body. Sometimes there’s a
need of the soul.
And sometimes your body is tired,
your soul is exhausted, and you don’t feel like helping anybody.
The good news is that it’s O.K. to not feel like helping people. The other good news is that you have to help
anyway. Jesus fed 5,000+ hungry people
even though the people had found Him while He was trying to take a few days off
to rest and grieve for His cousin who’d just been beheaded (Matthew 14: 10-13).
We must, as the General Rule states,
“[trample] under foot that enthusiastic doctrine that "We are not to do
good unless our hearts be free to do it."
During His earthly ministry, Jesus
gave priority to helping His people, the Jews (Matthew 10: 5, 6) because in
that time, Israel was the household of faith.
But Jesus healed the children of foreigners in pagan cities (Matthew 15:
24-28). He evangelized immorally living
women in Samaria (John 4). Jesus helped
officers of the heathen military that was occupying His nation and oppressing His
people (Luke 7: 1-10).
As a spiritual family, Christians
ought to give priority to each other.
But, like our Lord, we don’t use religious or cultural preference as an
excuse to turn our backs on Mormons, Muslims, Hindhus, Sikhs, Atheists,
conservatives, liberals, Blacks, Whites, Latinos, Asians, Middle Easterners,
Africans, rich, poor, straights, gays, or whomever we have power and opportunity
to do good.
Therefore, as we have opportunity,
let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10).
Doing good is exhausting. It always has been. “But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary
in doing good” (2 Thessalonians 3: 13).
Do good anyway.
Doing good is inconvenient and
expensive. It always has been.
Jesus said to Philip, “Where shall
we buy bread, that these may eat?”
Philip answered Him, “Two hundred
denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may
have a little.” (John 6: 5-7)
Do good anyway.
The calling to Christian good-doing
requires what Wesley called, “all possible diligence and frugality.” In the law, God commanded Israel to leave the
gleaning of their fields (Leviticus 19; 23: 22) for the poor in their
communities. The practice of gleaning
meant that a hard-working Jewish farm had to budget for less than 100% of his
harvest.
The principle of gleaning is: You can’t help all the people you can if you
spend all the money you make.
We aren’t generous when we’re broke. Hence, the need for “diligence and frugality.”
Roughly translated, that means working hard and being cheap.
The surrounding culture tells us to
consume and accumulate, but Christians are called to transcend the influence of
culture and to be DIFFERENT.
In a sermon called, “The Use of
Money,” John Wesley offered these 3 simple rules: “Having, First, gained all you can, and, Secondly
saved all you can, Then give all you can."
Does that sound crazy? Does that sound radical or un-American? Are you thinking, “Graves, it doesn’t take
all that?”
Then you’ll love the last part of
this General Rule. Christians do good “by
denying themselves and taking up their cross daily; submitting to bear the
reproach of Christ; to bear the filth and off-scouring of the world.”
Well, if that sounds crazy, remember
whom Wesley got it from.
Then Jesus said to His disciples,
“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his
cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16: 24)
---Anderson T. Graves II is a writer, community organizer and
consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.
Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of
Miles Chapel CME Church in Fairfield, Alabama;
executive director of the Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization
(SAYNO); and director of rural
leadership development for the National Institute for Human Development (NIHD).
Subscribe to my personal blog www.andersontgraves.blogspot.com .
Email atgravestwo2@aol.com
Follow me on twitter @AndersonTGraves
#Awordtothewise
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