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30+ Bible Verses About Helping Others
Modified: January 9, 2024
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Bible verses about helping others encourage us to be a lending hand to others. Learn what God says about how you can be a channel of his blessings.
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No man is an island. We can’t survive our journey in this world alone without seeking help from others. In return, we should also be openhearted and compassionate with everyone around us. By becoming a lending hand to them, it is a way for us to demonstrate God’s love here on earth. There are a lot of ways to be a channel of blessings to others. For some people, they like volunteering with charities and other organizations or donating to a good cause; these are their desired ways of helping. However, these aren’t the only ways to give a helping hand. Others choose to offer help by having a simple conversation or lending emotional support to someone who’s going through a tough season. Whether in big or small ways, we can be a blessing. These Bible verses about helping others encourage us to have a serving heart for others.
Bible Verses About Helping Others Who Are In Need
Many people around us need help in many ways. However, being charitable is not always easy. Sometimes we just want to keep our money, time, and energy to ourselves. But as Christians, as stated in the Bible, we have an obligation to help the people in our community who need a hand (Mark 12:31). Thus, we should not turn our eyes away from their needs. Whether they are close to us or even a stranger we encounter, we should not hesitate to extend our hand to people who need our help.
God is the ultimate provider. He knows everything we need and will not hesitate to give it to us. There are times where he will give more blessings than we request. And when we receive these extra blessings, whether it’s money, food, clothing, or something else, take it as an opportunity to share these with other people. God wants us to take the blessings we receive and share them with others who we encounter, especially those who are in need. Thus, let these Bible verses about helping others keep our hearts open and share God’s love with the world.
- Deuteronomy 15:11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.
- Proverbs 3:27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due when it is in your power to act.
- Matthew 5:42 Give to the one who asks you and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
- Matthew 25:44-45 They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
- Luke 3:10-11 ‘What should we do then?’ the crowd asked. John answered, ‘Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.’
- Romans 12:13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
- James 2:14-17 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
Read more: Top 30 Bible Verses About Patience
Food for Thought from Bible Verses about Helping Others
Keep in mind that not everyone has the same privileges. This being said, there are some who often still conclude that people are poor through some fault of their own. And this kind of mindset leads to some to close their hearts and hands to the needy. It becomes easy for them to ignore the poor because of their reasons. However, God wants us to respond to everyone’s needs regardless of who or what is responsible for their poor condition. When we have the ability and opportunity to help someone, let’s not hesitate to do so. Yes, we probably can’t solve their problems, but we can be a positive force in the lives of those people we encounter. We should be open-hearted in the needs of others, even though it can be difficult.
Sometimes we help or entertain others when it’s convenient for us. We give when we have so, and we are living comfortably. However, Christian hospitality teaches us to look at all the needs of others and not our own. It focuses on things such as a place to stay, nourishing food, a listening ear, or even just a simple acceptance. And even if we’re not on the highest high of our life, we can still we can give these necessities. Good intentions only go so far. So if we want to help others truly, we have to take action in some way. Let’s not hesitate to offer a hand to them just because we’re too tired, too busy, or not wealthy enough to entertain. And we should have faith in God for us to do these things meaningfully.
A Compassionate Heart to Serve Others
There are times where we just want to focus on our needs instead of looking into the needs of others. Yet, serving others is one of the powerful acts of bringing God’s love to our communities. It may not be easy, but having compassion, love, and a willing heart to lead us to extend our hand to them will make the world a better place for all. God calls us to serve others and bring His light to them. We can always help our friends, family, or anyone we encounter get through their big or small obstacles. Even a small act of kindness can already create an enormous impact. Here are some Bible verses about helping others we can remember daily to guide us and have mercy towards people who need help.
- Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
- Luke 12:33-34 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
- Romans 15:1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.
- Galatians 6:2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.
- Philippians 2:4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others.
- Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
- James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
We all have our interests and priorities, and it’s okay to consider what’s best for us. However, we shouldn’t take this as a license to neglect the needs of others around us. We have to think about what we can do to benefit our community. In return, we should trust that others are also looking out for your interest. So, if you’re living your life full of blessings, you have to extend that to others. God wants to use us to be a channel of his blessings, especially for those who are in need.
Applying these Bible Verses in Helping Others Around Us
Where is your heart right now? We usually receive this question to check whether our hearts are still aligned with God or maybe swaying towards other things. This serves as a reminder for us to analyze and reflect on our daily lives to see where our priorities lie. Are we still serving God? There’s nothing wrong with working hard and doing our best to earn money and increase our wealth. After all, we have to work and trust God for provision. However, let’s be aware of how our wealth is affecting us. Sometimes, money seen as an end in itself quickly traps and cuts us from both God and the needy, leading us to have wrong intentions with our resources. The key for us to use our wealth wisely is to see how much we can use for God’s purposes.
If we just concentrate our money in our business, we will center on making it more profitable. However, if you direct it towards other people, we will become concerned with their welfare. God is our great provider. He knows what we need, and he will not hesitate to shower us with His blessings. So, we must help others, especially those who are in dire need of help. Jesus gave the disciples a principle to guide their actions as they minister to others. He told them to give as freely as they have received. As Christians, we should have compassion for the people around us. We can generously give them our money, possessions, time, and love. Hence, these Bible verses about helping others teach us how to have compassion for the people around us.
Helping Those Who Are Oppressed
Aside from our resources, we can help the oppressed by standing with them. Of course, no one wants to be poor or to be oppressed. However, with the society we’re living in, it is inevitable. As Christians, we must not hesitate to reach out to them. We can be the voice to the voiceless, someone they can rely on, and a blessing in their lives. Let’s seek God all the more and ask him how he can use us to be a blessing to them. It is one of our duties as God’s disciple is to be a lending hand to the oppressed people around us. Additionally, this also serves as an opportunity for us to share God’s love and message to them. So, here are some of the Bible verses about helping others we can keep in mind for us to stand with them.
- Proverbs 29:7 The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.
- Proverbs 31:9 Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.
- Isaiah 1:17 Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.
A Reward from the Lord
In many ways, having the ability and resources to help others is already a great reward from the Lord. But according to the Scripture, God will reward those who are compassionate to the less fortunate people (Matthew 5:7-17). Most of us think that if we give or help others, God will bless us more. Although this is what the Bible tells us, our hearts may then start having wrong intentions as to why we extend our hands to the needy. We might end up serving because we expect to gain something in return. So, let these Bible verses about helping others remind us that God rewards those who have a heart that’s willing to give and serve.
- Proverbs 11:25 A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
- Isaiah 58:10 And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.
- Proverbs 14:21 It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.
- Proverbs 19:17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.
- Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
- Proverbs 22:9 The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.
- Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
- Acts 20:35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
- Hebrews 6:10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.
The world probably tells us to hold on to our possessions and to work harder to gain more. This mindset often leads us to disregard the needs of other people around us. We focus on doing things to gain more rewards for ourselves. Yet, God teaches us to set aside our desires and be a blessing to others. He blesses those who give their possessions, time, and energy freely. When we give, he supplies us with more so we can give more. Besides, giving helps us gain the right perspective on our possessions. These Bible verses about helping others tell us of what we exactly gain from giving: freedom from enslavement to our possessions, the joy of helping others, and approval from God.
Pay It Forward!
Whether we’re rich or poor, God values every one of us. When we help the poor, it is also a way for us to honor both the Creator and his creations. And part of our spiritual journey is to help one another. Remember, without faith, we can’t be saved, yet our faith lacks sincerity if we don’t reach out to others. God wants us to go beyond our personal growth to do acts of kindness, generosity, charity, and justice to the underprivileged. God wants us to love others and not judge them. We must help them in any means if they need our help. Additionally, God accepts our help as if we had offered it directly to him. So, if we treat others generously, graciously, and compassionately, these qualities will come back to us in full measure.
They say that we should treat others the way we want to be treated. Hence, we must become an example for them. Treat others with the utmost kindness, so they’ll learn to treat others the same way you treat them. And this is the beautiful idea of ‘pay it forward’. Because God has blessed us so much (and continuously blesses us), we should not hesitate to share his blessings with others. Allow them to see the beauty of your heart and glorify God.
If sometimes you feel like God has forgotten you, don’t be discouraged. Our God is never unjust. He never forgets or overlooks your hard work. You may not be receiving any rewards for now, but God knows your efforts of love and ministry. Let his love comfort you as you face disappointment and rejection here on earth. His overflowing grace and unconditional love are the greatest rewards that you can ever get.
First Step Before Helping Others: Love Them First
These Bible verses about helping others will not make sense if we fail to have the most important trait we should have. The first step in having a compassionate and generous heart to give and serve others is to love them first. In fact, loving others is the greatest commandment God gave us. We must love others the same way God loves us. It includes people who are dear to us, those who are our enemies, and of course, everyone around us.
But why do we need to love them first?
God wants us to willingly help everyone around us, especially those who are in need. This is because if we don’t love them, we might end up extending our hands to the needy for the wrong reasons. However, we should love beyond our natural inclinations. It teaches us to let go of our own desires and focus on the welfare of others. Additionally, only God can give us the strength to love others the same way He loves us. We should allow God to transform our hearts for us to become more like him. Because the more we become Christ-like, the more love we can show to others. So, here are the Bible verses to remind us why it is important to understand God’s love first.
- John 15:12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
- John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
- 1 John 3:17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?
- 1 John 4:19-20 We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.
Love Others the Same Way God Loves Us
We are saved by God’s grace. Knowing that Jesus died on the cross for our sins is already enough for us to understand the depth and intensity of his unconditional love. He is the standard of love and gave us the ability to love others. There are various ways for us to help the people around us. Love is not only an emotion we feel, but it is an attitude that reveals itself in our actions. Let’s pray for them and reach out. We can help them with our possessions, time, and energy.
Sometimes, it is easy for us to say that we love God. But the real test of our love for God is how we treat the people around us. So how do we treat our family members, friends, fellow believers, enemies, or a random stranger we encounter? Remember, we can’t truly love God while neglecting those who are created in his image. When we serve others, it is a way for us to show God’s great love for each of us.
Be a Channel of His Blessings!
God blesses us so that we can be a channel of blessing towards others. So let’s continue to live our life according to God’s purpose. Don’t let our selfish motives hinder us from lending our help to the people around us. You can check your heart and ask yourself about your top priorities and where your resources go. Take note, helping others is pleasing to the Lord. Let these short yet meaningful Bible verses about helping others serve as our daily reminder of why it is important to have compassion for others.
Whatever the things we do to give and serve the people around us, let’s do it wholeheartedly. Let our motives be covered with pure love, genuine motives, and generosity. God loves a cheerful servant. Whether big or small, your help will positively impact the lives of the people we’re helping. If you want to make a vast difference to the world, you can start by treating the people around you with love, kindness, graciousness, and generosity. Let them see and feel God’s amazing love through you.