Boundaries

 November 15, 2024

Pastor Brandon’s sermon awhile back ignited a spark that I just had to investigate further. I did, and it raised some questions I can’t answer. Here’s the Scripture:

“Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.””                    —Luke 4:24-27 

Jesus didn’t minister to everyone in Galilee or Judea. He ministered to those to whom he had been sent. He supported his position by telling of Elijah and Elisha who instead of ministering to their own people, ministered to foreigners. So here’s my dilemma:

Linda and I live busy lives for people our age. We don’t get much down time; if we want to do something together, we have to check our calendars to make sure we both have the time available. Yet we look around us and see so many more who need a friend, a listening ear, a helping hand. There are more of them than there are of us, so where and how do we draw the line? 

This is not just a question for us; it’s for you, too. If we are serious about Christian living, we’ll see people all around us who need what we have to offer. And if we begin to offer it, we’ll see even more who need us. If we aren’t careful, we’ll become overwhelmed by it all and find ourselves running out of energy. People who don’t set boundaries find themselves overrun, or they themselves crash and burn with emotional breakdowns, self-destructive behavior, or improper relationships.

Jesus understood this and didn’t try to minister to everyone he met. The question is, how did he choose, and how did he deal with those he couldn’t or didn’t help? And how do we handle those situations? The danger here is one of balance. There is always more need than any one of us can meet, but there is also our tendency to waste time, pamper ourselves, turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to those who need what we have to offer. The only answer I can think of regarding this dilemma is that which Jesus himself found:

“Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.” —Mark 1:35 

In these times alone with his Heavenly Father, he learned one thing:

“Jesus said… “The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” —John 5:19 

Spend time alone with your Heavenly Father. It’s the only way you can know to whom he sends you, and where the boundaries are.