Hearty Helping

It is always interesting to me how people use and abuse Scripture to say whatever they want it to say.  When I was a kid, I had a neighbor named Charlie.   Charlie was a great guy that was disabled due to legal blindness.  He had disease in one and had a work accident involving the other.  He saw little.  However one summer he needed drops put in daily and needed my help.  I was about 10 years old and I went up there daily at 10 AM sharp to put drops in.  He never forgot it.  He was a great guy, a wonderful neighbor... plus he had HBO.   That did not excite us for any reason except boxing.  HBO has good boxing (Mike Tyson fought most of his fights under contract with HBO before he lost his mind...then served his time...then found his soul...then tattooed his face.... then .....).  So Charlie would pop popcorn and provide the Pepsi and Dad and I would go watch the fights on a Friday or Saturday night.   Somebody would win and say, "I just want to thank the Lord that he allowed me to beat the stuffing out of that guy.  I can do all things through Christ..."  That is not what that Scripture is saying.   That is an abuse of Scripture.  In Philippians 4:13 Paul is talking about when he has resources and when he does not.  It is actually a financial statement, although it can be used in several other contexts.  However it does not fit in all of them that I have heard it used in. 
Another one is this misquote:  "You know what the good book says:  He won't put more on than you can handle."  What does that even mean?  Anything that you are trying to handle, you better give to Him regardless of whether it is big or small.  It is really a misuse of I Cor. 10:13 that speaks of the spiritual means of escaping temptation. 
Today our reading (www.lifejournal.cc) has a passage that is often misused as well (or has been historically).  Colossians 3:22-23-   Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. ²³ Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.   The misuse came when people tried to justify slavery by saying the Bible did not speak against it.   However, Paul's addresses to slaves or servants are not to condone or condemn but to give guidance, no matter your circumstances.   In addition, slavery of the 1st century was quite different than slavery of the 19th century.   The question for us is: how does this passage apply to us?  It is quite simple to see:  whoever you are serving or working for, by choice or not, do it with all that you have because you are also doing it for the Lord.    Don't serve just when people are looking or just in capacities where people will see you.  Don't serve just to make others happy or in jobs that simply appease people.  Do whatever task may come.  Do it all with all your heart.  You are serving the Lord, not just others.
Serve the Lord today, whether or not it involves anyone else or whether or not it is seen.  Serve Him heartily!