Daily Devotional

The failure of the scribes and Pharisees to see that God was in their midst despite their familiarity with the scriptures goes to prove the point of today’s first reading: “For indeed the good news came to us just as to them; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.” (Hebrews 4:2).

Empathy is the first step to healing, but it is not enough. Go beyond words such as: “Sorry, oh. It is well you.” Do whatever is within your power to do. It might seem small compared to the person’s problem, but it would mean the world to them. Sometimes, we underestimate ourselves. What makes you think your prayers cannot heal the sick? With just five loaves and two fish, over five thousand people were fed. Even for someone looking for a million naira, ten naira is something. You might not even have ten naira, but you might know how to connect them to someone who has.

We must consciously reach out to the sick, the oppressed, those held captive, those who do not yet believe in God, and those who are passing through some difficulty or another. With faith, we can lay our hands on people, talk to them, and preach to them, and we would be surprised at the outcome. A Christian who never reaches out to others is a Christian who is ignorant of what he or she has within.