DO WHAT YOU CAN
The widow gave Elijah some bread - and the Lord was pleased. Tabitha made clothing for those who were less fortunate - and the Lord was pleased. Mary used the equivalent of a year’s salary to buy perfume that she poured on Jesus’ head and feet - and the Lord was pleased. “She has done a beautiful thing to me,” Jesus said about Martha’s sister. “She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Why was Jesus so pleased with Mary and Tabitha and the widow? Not because the things they did were so outwardly amazing; and not because the things they did were any better than what other people could do; Jesus was pleased with these three women simply because they did what they could.
And it’s very important to remember who these women were when they did these things. The widow during the time of Elijah was already a believer. She knew the Lord God and Elijah his prophet. She trusted that her Lord would one day send the Messiah, the Anointed One, to save his people from their sins. And in response to that, she willingly gave the Lord’s prophet the only meal she had. Tabitha is actually called one of Jesus’ “disciples” - a follower of the Lord in the days of the early Christian Church. She knew what her Lord had done. She knew that he had died for her. She knew that he had risen from the dead. And so in her joy and happiness she showed her appreciation for her God by helping those whom he cared for. Mary, the sister of Lazarus whom Jesus had already raised from the dead, remembered that Jesus had told her he was the Resurrection and the Life, she trusted that those who believed in him would never die, and she could not hold back her gratitude less than a week before Jesus’ crucifixion as she anointed her Lord with the oil of a plant that was worth tens of thousands of dollars by today’s standards. These three women were Christians when they did what they did. And so they were not trying to get anything from the Lord; they already had it all. They simply wanted to give something back - anything back that they could.
We are Christians as well. We believe that the Lord is true God. We know what he has done for us by breaking the devil’s back on the cross and then breaking the seal on his tomb three days later. We are fully aware that he is the Resurrection and the Life and because we believe in him we will never die but be with him in heaven forever. We do not have to do anything to get on Jesus’ good side; we are already there. And just like these three women of Scripture, we have countless opportunities to do whatever we can to thank him.
And take the examples of these three women to heart: The Lord isn’t necessarily concerned about the extent of what you do - he just likes to see you do what you can. Sometimes that will include the simplest tasks in your life, like the widow spending her time to make a basic meal. Sometimes that will include using a specific talent or skill that the Lord has given you, like Tabitha did by making clothing for the poor. Sometimes that will include using whatever means you have to thank the Lord for what he has promised to do, like Mary did by spending quite a bit of her hard-earned income to anoint Jesus with a very expensive perfume. These three women did what they could, in three completely different ways in three completely different situations, and the Lord was pleased with all of them.
What can you do to thank your Lord? Not “what should you do?” And not “what do you have to do?” But what can you do? What are you able to do? What are the ways in which you can thank your Lord at this time of your life in the situation he has placed you? The answer to that question could have many different answers because there are probably innumerable ways in which you can thank the Lord by the things you do in this life. That’s just not the way we usually approach this topic, is it? A lot of times we approach giving back to the Lord with the thought: “What should I do? What are those events that I should probably pitch in and help with; what are those things that I should probably take on some responsibility for; what are those things that I should probably get done because they’re expected of me?” Or maybe our attitude is: “What do I have to do? What are those things that I must get done because no one else will do them?” Or maybe it’s even: “What am I supposed to do? Just tell me what I’m supposed to do and I’ll do it! Give me my checklist of things to do so I can get them done!” Of course, there’s nothing specific you are supposed to do or have to do or should do. There are the Ten Commands and the other directives of Scripture, but the Lord doesn’t really give us specific ways we need to carry them out. There’s not a checklist; there’s not a timecard; there’s not a boss looking over your shoulder or a monthly progress report to fill out. There’s just what your Lord has done for your salvation and the thousands of opportunities you can use to thank him for it. There’s a lot of freedom in what you can do as a Christian in order to praise your Lord. Which also can cause a lot of problems.
Because freedom tends to produce laziness, doesn’t it? “Well, I could do this, but I don’t have to. I can do this, but I’m not required to. I am able to do all of these things, but no one is forcing me to do them today - or tomorrow for that matter.” And so it becomes easy for us not to look for things we can do at all. Instead, we start looking for ways that we can get out of doing things that we are fully capable of doing! We don’t have to fill a quota, after all. And we aren’t going to get in trouble for failing to do some of those things. And so we sit back and relax and we spend more time looking at what we can do for ourselves than for the Lord. And we spend more effort supplying what we want for ourselves than what the Lord wants for all people. We abuse this freedom, don’t we? We get lackadaisical in our lives as Christians simply because we aren’t forced to do anything.
But the widow of Zarapheth and Tabitha and Mary weren’t forced to do what they did either. The widow was asked, but not coerced. Tabitha was loved, but not obligated. Mary was praised, but not pressured. And so why did these three women do what they could do when they didn’t really have to do anything at all? They did whatever they could do for the Lord because they knew that the Lord did whatever he could do for them.
The Lord was not forced to do what he did, was he? He was not obligated to save sinners. He was not indebted to those who rejected him. He didn’t have to do anything for us. But he could. And he did. He was fully capable of taking his divine being that existed from eternity and encasing it in the body of a human being. And so he did it. He was physically and psychologically able to be the target of Satan’s attacks along with sinners’ assaults and survive. And so he did it. He was humble enough to give up his life on the cross. He was powerful enough to make that death count for ours. He was faithful enough to rise from the dead. And so he did it. He had the opportunity to give that victory that he won with his own blood to us free of charge. And so he did it. He had the time and the ability to prepare a place for us in heaven. And so he did it. He had the all-powerful capacity to bring us to faith in this gospel and to watch over us and protect us and guide us in the Word and promise to keep us until the end. And so he did it. Everything that God could have done for us, he did. And he still continues to search out ways in which he can do more and more for us every day. He doesn’t stop. He doesn’t let up. He spends all his time finding ways in which he can show his love to us and then he never fails to follow through.
No wonder the widow baked some bread and Tabitha made some clothes and Mary poured some perfume! That was the least they could do after everything the Lord had done for them! They had the opportunity; they had the time or the skill or the means to do something for their Lord; and they couldn’t imagine not doing it for him! Why wouldn’t they? The time and trust it took to make bread and the effort it took to sow clothes and the money it took to use up all of that perfume was nothing in comparison to what the Lord had accomplished for their eternal life. Nothing could compare. Nothing they could have done could have ever measured up to God’s gift of salvation and everything else that came along with it.
I find it very unlikely that we will ever find something to do for him that will parallel God’s gift of salvation to us. But there are plenty of ways in which we can thank him for it. And so can we get specific here? Can we get a little “practical” and talk about some of the things that we can do for our Lord? There are, of course, hundreds of thousands of ways you can do things for the Lord in your individual lives, and so let’s narrow our focus a bit and concentrate on those things that you are able to do within our own congregation for the Lord’s glory.
You have plenty of those opportunities to do the little things like cleaning the church, bringing Sunday snacks, and preparing the altar for the Lord’s Supper. Do what you can. Find those ways in which you can help in some small way. We are also near the end of the planning stage and right at the beginning of an actual building project. And so there’s a lot more to do than usual. There’s a lot more you can do. Meals for Builders for Christ when the get here this summer. Snacks for that same group. Pitching in with the physical work of constructing a facility. Do what you can. Search for those ways in which you can participate in some small way. And this building isn’t just for our own pride of course - along with this building comes multiple opportunities to reach out to those around us. Leading up to and during and soon after the construction we will have hundreds of chances to inform and invite and encourage our new neighbors to come and check us out. Flyers will have to be printed and cut and sorted. Door hangers will need to be stuffed. Those bags will then need to be distributed on the front doors of hundreds of houses. Do what you can. Look for those ways in which you can pitch in with the outreach efforts of the congregation. And that’s not even mentioning the other outreach efforts that you can participate in right now: letter writing to new movers, prospect pick up and drop off, assisting at Easter for Kids and VBS, even something as simple as giving extra offerings to the special funds of the congregation. Just do what you can. Take full advantage of all those ways in which you can cooperate with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to the Lord glory and the good of his Church.
And this is obviously not a comprehensive list of everything that is available. These are just examples of what could be done. And so it’s simply a matter of “what can you do” and “do you want to do it.” There’s no guilt trip here. I’m not trying to make you feel as if you are required to participate in anything at any time. My goal is to present to you your Savior and everything he has done, and then to present to you some of the opportunities available for you to thank him.
And you don’t have to wait to be asked! You don’t even have to wait for something to be offered. What can I do now - even if we have never done it before! What can I do now - even if you don’t see it on a list! What can I do now - even if there is no sign up sheet available for that particular task! “What can I do?” It is a mindset of appreciation. It is an attitude of thankfulness. And so prepare a meal with the widow. Help the poor alongside Tabitha. Offer whatever means you have with Mary at the feet of your Savior. Do what you can. Do whatever you can. And know that the One who did everything that he could do for you is pleased.
Amen.
“May the Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” - 2 Thess. 2:16-17
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