Apples of Gold
Radio Script for May 23, 2008
“The Big Six”
Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.
“What does God want me to do?”
Have you ever considered “The Big Six?”
“The Big Six? What’s the Big Six?”
Jesus gave us The Big Six in Matthew chapter 25.
These are six things God is checking on. In student lingo, yes, these six are going to be on the final exam.
God is watching to see how we treat people who are in need, and Jesus broke these needs down into six categories.
The first need He mentioned is hunger. Are we providing food for people who are hungry?
I think one reason that America has been so blessed is because we are great at this. We have welfare programs for our citizens, and we send food to the needy abroad.
The second need He mentioned is thirst. Are we meeting the needs of the thirsty?
Most of us can’t relate to this because in America, even if food might take a little effort, you can get a free drink just about anywhere. Just go to the nearest water fountain.
But that is not the case in other parts of the world. I read an article in the Washington Post that said about one billion people lack safe water. It said that we use more clean water in one flush of the toilet than most Africans have to perform an entire day’s washing, cleaning, cooking and drinking.*
Some of the world’s conflicts are over water. For example, the tragedy in Darfur was driven in part by tensions over water. Between the warfare and the drought, clean water is an incredible need in Darfur, and many relief agencies are trying to help.
Number three in the Big Six is the need for shelter. Are we helping people find shelter?
This is a problem in America because adequate shelter is costly. Most of us have shelter, so the next question is, what are we doing to help those who don’t?
These first three needs are critical in times of natural disaster. For example, one report I heard said that the earthquake in China left 5 million people homeless. That’s about like the entire state of Alabama losing their homes.
In Myanmar, after the cyclone, I don’t know how many hundreds of thousands of people are in need of food, water and shelter. I do know that a $100 gift to World Vision provides one family with a survival kit that includes emergency food with a cooking set, clean water, and temporary shelter.**
No, your neighbors may not be lacking food, water and shelter. But you don’t have to look far to find millions of people who are.
Number four of Jesus’ Big Six is clothing. As far as I can tell, we seem to be doing a great job of clothing the needy. Clothing is one of those things that you can use yourself, and then share with someone else, and the same item of clothing can end up clothing several people in its lifetime.
In America we have a great pipeline for used clothing, primarily through thrift stores. And a good percentage of people drop off their clothing there instead of just throwing it away.
But there are ways you can help someone with their clothing. For example, someone may have clothes, but maybe they could use some new clothes to help them get a job. Or you might buy a needy child some new clothes so they won’t be embarrassed wearing their same old, ill-fitting clothes to school.
Number five on the list is looking after sick people. We do a pretty good job of that in America, but there is a never ending stream of sick people pouring through our hospitals and doctors offices. I commend all of those doctors and nurses who have dedicated their lives to caring for the sick. And I commend our welfare programs that pay for healthcare for the needy.
But there is something more that sick people need besides medicine. Sick people need friends. They need a support group, people who will be there to see them through. We aren’t all physicians, but we can all do something to look after the sick.
And number six on the list is looking after prisoners. This seems like it doesn’t belong because, after all, don’t prisoners deserve to be isolated? They’re criminals!
Yes, and they are in prison. They have been humbled and degraded. They know that they have been placed at the bottom of society. And now what? Should we leave them to rot?
That is not God’s plan. God’s plan is for us to reach out to prisoners and care for them. It’s so important that He included it in The Big Six. And I commend so many great prison ministries, including Chuck Colson’s “Prison Fellowship.”***
So are you asking yourself what God wants you to do with your life? Well you can’t go wrong when you help people who are:
--hungry
--thirsty
--sick
--in prison
and those who need
--clothing, and
--shelter.
Those priorities come from Jesus Himself, and that’s what I’m calling “The Big Six.”
Comments?
E-mail me: dougapple@wave94.com.
May God bless you today! With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
* http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/19/AR2005091901295.html
** http://www.worldvision.org/Worldvision/eappeal.nsf/egift-disaster-response-southern-asia-cyclone-relief?OpenForm&campaign=11365555&cmp=KNC-11365555
*** http://www.prisonfellowship.org/site_hmpg.asp
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
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(Proverbs 25:11 – “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”)
Why “The Arrow’s Tip”? Each morning, after diligently seeking the Lord, I write Apples of Gold. Then before I release it to the public I pray one final prayer, “Lord, send forth your arrows.” I envision Apples of Gold as arrows, tips dipped in the river of the water of life that flows from the throne of God (Rev. 22:1), sailing toward the hearts and minds of men and women around the world.
Doug Apple
General Manager - Wave 94
Christian Radio for Tallahassee
PO Box 4105
Tallahassee, FL 32315
(850) 926-8000
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