Overseer of God’s Remnant Assembly Akintayo Emmanuel Discusses the Right Way to Help Others

When it comes to helping others, many people struggle to know with clarity and certainty when, how, where, why, and who to help. As a result, they often end up helping those that they shouldn’t, while they neglect to help those who they should.

Thankfully and mercifully, the Bible sheds illuminating light on this essential subject and points out that true, authentic helping is rooted in three pillars: selflessness, service, and sacrifice. Each of these is commented on below by Akintayo Emmanuel, the Overseer God’s Remnant Assembly.

Selflessness

Many people who outwardly appear to be quite helpful and generous with their time and resources are, in truth, fortifying their ego. Yes, their efforts are beneficial to others and this must be acknowledged. But they are walking on a path that leads to arrogance and self-importance, rather than one that leads to humility and modesty. Proclaims Proverbs 16:5: “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.”

Commented Akintayo Emmanuel, who in addition his calling with God’s Remnant Assembly also serves as President of Hear the Lord Ministries, we can fool others, and we can fool ourselves, but we can never fool the Lord. He knows what is in our hearts even better than we do. As such, when we help others, we must be clear about our motives and intentions. We must confirm that we are an instrument of the Lord and carrying out His divine plan, rather than carrying out our private agenda to make ourselves feel superior and better than others.

Service

Those who are called to help others must have an open heart that blesses all — friend and foe alike — but at the same time, they must also be willing to put in the effort. Proclaims James 2:14–17: “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”

According to Akintayo Emmanuel, we must pray for those who we help so that they can solve their problems and achieve their goals. But we must not stop at mere words or thoughts. We must demonstrate our help in some way. We must activate our intentions, or else they cannot bear fruit.

Sacrifice

Some people who help will only do so when it’s convenient and agreeable to them. For example, they will assist a friend in moving their home, provided that it doesn’t interfere with their desire to watch a football game on TV. Or, they will donate money to their church or other worthy cause once they are financially comfortable and have excess cash to spare. Help that is not rooted in sacrifice is superficial instead of meaningful. Proclaims Galatians 6:9: “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Akintayo Emmanuel claims that we should be willing to help others in an ethical and appropriate manner even when it is inconvenient to us. When we feel weary or disinterested in helping others, we should see this as a wake-up call to deepen and re-affirm our faith and commitment to the Lord.