Restoring the Image (Part 28) – Reproduction: Helping Others Changes Us

Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come…The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” (Luke 10:1, 17)One of the greatest joys of discipling men is watching how quickly they transform when they begin to help others grow in Christ. Time and time again, a man has come to me in a stagnate spiritual state and with an exhortation to invest in another, the flames of passion for Jesus are reignited. It would stand to reason, if we are created to reproduce both physically and spiritually, that we would feel fulfilled when we are helping others restore their image.

I use an illustration on how spiritual stagnation can occur. The Sea of Galilee is a healthy, thriving body of water. This is the lake where Jesus’ disciples made their living and twice caught miraculous quantities of fish. On the other hand, the Dead Sea, 67 miles south, has very little living in it. Its salt content is so high, it is literally dead. What’s the difference? Input and output. The Jordan River flows in and out of the Sea of Galilee, keeping the waters fresh. However, the Jordan only flows into the Dead Sea; there is no out flow. Similarly, like hundreds of Christians who are merely concerned with feeding themselves, the result is stagnation. The love of God is like the Jordan River. It must flow through us onto others to have it fullest transforming effects. And, to the extent we invest in others, we see greater transformation occurring in our own lives.

Jesus demonstrates how our spiritual health is dependent on investing in others. That’s why from beginning to end Jesus trains the disciples to reach out to others by sharing the good news of salvation and helping them grow in their faith (Mt 4.19, 28.18-20, Ac 1.8). The Apostle Paul recognized everyone has a role to play in helping others in the faith (1 Cor 12-14, Eph 4.11-12).

You are designed to help others grow in their relationship with God. It is essential for your own personal transformation. Reach out to others and see the difference it makes in restoring your image.

For questions or comments drop me a line at charleswood1@gmail.com or click the envelope below to send this post to a friend…© 2008, 2009 Following Jesus by Chuck Wood All Rights Reserved