Acts of mercy and kindness do not come cheap. This is even more true with acts of grace. You and I, as believers are to exrecise mercy, kindness and grace. But we have to coount the cost.
All too often in a moment (or even longer) of enthusiastic exuberance we commit acts of mercy, kindness and grace just knowling that they will please the Lord. But equally often, when the bill comes due for those acts we begin and regret having done them.
It's not that we shouldn't ever act on a gracious, merciful of kind impulse but that we have to be ready to pay the bill when it comes due.
Now gency is and eemergency and there is not a lot of time to consider and pray when God drops a bomb of need in your proximity. At those times you just trust Him and go for it.
But, when an act of mercy, kindness or grace will entail a long (and two weeks can be a long long time) commitment or a large outlay of resources we are wise if we really prayerfully count the cost. Many good deeds are done badly becasue they wwere ill considered, poorly planned of just not thought out.
There is always more to an act of mercy, kindness or grace than we usually consider. A gift of resources affects all the other resources and needs. If I give you $20 have I really considered the consequences and how I will react to them when I need that $20 and I don't have it? Oh don't kid yurself, it will matter. And that's when resentment and regret can turn a sweet deed into a sour action.
Our acts of mercy, kindness and grace certainly affect those upon whom we bestow them. But they affect us as well. Do we consider that? Do we consider the consequences of our mercy, kindness and grace on our struggling hearts?
All too often I have had to try to help people reconsile over ill considered acts of mercy, kindness or grace. They extend a helping hand and when they realize that their hand is now empty the flesh really goes to town and regret grows into resentment and relationships are spoiled.
Impuses are rarely inspired - trust me on this one! You are vetter off to wait and pray over an act of mercy, kindness or grace than you are just doing it. It will be better done if you consider the consequences and ramifications of those act not just upon the recipient but upon you as well.
Has God given you the means (material, spirituak and emotional) to do the deed and accept the consequences - that is pay the cost? Or have you just responded to some vague spiritual warm fuzzy feeling. Or reacted out of guiilt. Or worse yet have you responded out of pity. AND is the response a considereed one.
When Patti and I worked with John and Theresa Nance at Friend's House we often talked about the cost to us materially, spirituall and emotionally. The demands of the ministry were arduous to say the least. It was draining and costly. But we talked about those consequences often and sure we complained at times but we knew what the csts were and we committed to paying them. Of course we were not on some altruiiststic save the poor homeless guy trip - we were in a war and we knew we were in a war and woundings and loss are the consequences of war - we were willing to be wounded and suffer loss. So when we complained it was not with regret or resentment but with an awarebess that we were getting just what we asked for - we were paying the costs we had counted.
Please - please - please...before you give, offer or provide count the cost you will be asked to pay and count it to the greatest degree you can. Speculate, imagine, dream of what the cost may be BEFORE the bill comes due.
God honors deeds of mercy, kindness and grace - but I believe He rarely honors stupid. And it is just stupid to act rashly and to take ill considered action regardless of the need and the "sense" you have in your heart.
WE need to do good things well and to do so we must plan and pray and cnsider the costs. If we don;t we do things badly in the long run and that honors no one.
I'm just saying . . . . . .
Michael
