The spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. Luke 4:18 (NLT)
Jesus enriches our lives in every possible way.
When reading today’s verse, we often think that Jesus had a special place in His heart for those who are living in poverty. While it’s clear that Jesus loves this group of people as He loves all people, the truth is that “poor” can refer to anything that has room for improvement. Poor marriages, poor parenting, poor health—Jesus’ Good News applies to every situation!
He came to show us a better way—a way to have great marriages, raise awesome kids, experience good health and enjoy prosperity too!
We live in a world filled with loneliness and pain, but when we share the Good News and the hope found in Jesus, we become like an oasis of love in a desert. We enrich others’ lives when we encourage them, let them know how loved they are, and tell them that God wants to show them a better way.
Maybe you think that if you’re not a pastor or missionary, you’re ineffective at sharing this Good News. But nothing could be further from the truth. The entire time that Jesus ministered on this planet, He didn’t hold a fancy title! Jesus simply performed acts of kindness wherever He went, and as people followed Him, it changed the world!
Don’t wait around thinking you need a voice from Heaven to speak to you before you’ll know what to do. Just as you are today, and with a Christ-like attitude in your heart, you are fully qualified to share kindness and the Good News. As you do, you’ll enrich countless lives in this world for the better!