Do This One Thing To Be Happy

Matt. 12:11-12 -   And He said to them, "What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?  12 "How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."  NASU

• Do Good 

The lesson, I have derived from Jesus' encounter with the Pharisees, is simply this, "Do Good" to others. It doesn't even really have to be a person. You can show kindness to one of your animals or even someone else's animal.
 
The most important thing for us to remember is to "do good."
 
Jesus asks them a question, "What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?"
 
What Jesus is really saying is this: "You know if one of your sheep falls into a pit you are going to help it get out of there. You will not allow it to become a meal for wolves or coyotes and you will even do this on the Sabbath." 

• I Always Felt Better After Doing This 

When I was a minister in Maryland there were days when the weight of the job really pushed down on me. There were many deadlines and obligations I had to fulfill. There were some days when I loss my joy for the ministry. I wasn't happy to be where I was.
 
It was on days like that when I felt like I was drowning in work that I would ask my secretary, "Is there anyone in the hospital or did any visitors attend this past Sunday?"
 
I knew instinctively I had to go and visit someone in the hospital or someone who was looking for a congregation to join. If I were able to visit and help them it would also be helping me.
 
You don't know how many times I walked out of a hospital with a rejuvenated spirit. Why was I feeling better? I had allowed God to use me to "do good" for someone else.
 
As I walked out of the hospital I remember thinking "There isn't a patient in here that wouldn't want to trade places with me." I could hear a man or woman dying of cancer tell me they would exchange places with me.
 
You may not like your situation in life right now, but I can tell you I know people who would trade places with you in a New York second. 

• What About You? 

If you are not happy today then let me suggest that you find someone you can help. When you find some good that you can do for others you will find happiness in abundance.
 
Maybe you can volunteer at a hospital, animal rescue center or if you have an elderly neighbor you can help them.
 
If you want to be happy then try this one thing "do good" to others.
 
Jesus even promoted doing good on the Sabbath day.
 
There is a lesson for us: it doesn't matter which day of the week you want to do good. Doing good isn't restricted to any day of the week if you want to "do good" on Sunday or the Sabbath feel free to do it.
 
Think About These:
 
People seldom get dizzy spells from doing good turns.
 
People who do good today never have to apologize for their actions tomorrow.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word