God helps those who help themselves…or does he?

“God helps those who help themselves,”  my dad seems to throw this saying around, especially when talking about my financial inefficiencies.  But recently, I have been thinking how much this statement seems to contradict the ministry of Jesus.  Doesn’t it appear that Jesus helps those who cannot help themselves.

I am reminded of the story of the paralytic whose friends lowered him down through the roof to be healed by Jesus.  There was nothing that this man could have done to walk again.  His only hope was that Jesus would have mercy on him and heal him.  His friends cared enough about him that  everything they could to get him to Jesus.  But when this man was brought face to face with Jesus, he was told to “pick up his mat want walk.”  The hope that this man and his friends had in Jesus’ ability came to fruition.

This story and others like it should serve as reminders to each of us that a major part of Jesus’ ministry was bring hope to those who had no other means of helping themselves.  As the church today, we should realize that it is our responsibility to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and help those who cannot help themselves.  In different communities this may mean different things, but if we take Jesus seriously then we need to make it part of our ministry to bring hope to those who have no hope.  God is not looking for those who are helping themselves, but rather those who have no hope.