“Treat people in the same way that you want them to treat you.” Luke 6:31, CEB

We hear about devastating conditions in the world, and then complain about the wait in the drive through line for our coffee or lunch. We rush from errands to appointments to work meetings, then offer a cursory prayer for that missionary who spoke at church. We brush aside the nudging of the Spirit to follow up on the needs of others outside our immediate concern.

Life can be overwhelming. Those of us behind-the-scenes can feel overworked and underappreciated. Our families think food magically appears in the fridge or on the table, appointments just happen, of course mom/grandma will be waiting in the carpool line. Oh, and church. How could churches function without all the selfless volunteers for children’s ministry? Our souls may start to question, “Why don’t people treat us the way our self-sacrificing selves deserve to be treated?”

Oh.

Right.

Because Jesus didn’t tell us to insist on others treating us well. He told us to treat others the way we want to be treated, regardless of how they treat us.

The next time we impatiently wait in line to get our coffee or lunch order, let the Spirit remind our souls to breathe just a little and think about people who suffer with more than “first world problems.” People who have only just recently discovered God has not forgotten them.

The community is very happy because they were not expecting that one day we would be remembered by God in being given this precious gift – the Bible in our own language.” Dema translator, Mozambique

Imagine that feeling of being forgotten. Then, all of a sudden, someone sees you struggling and offers help, brings over a meal, or just sits with you on your front porch and lets you vent before asking if you want prayer. Now imagine people who have felt forgotten by the rest of the world, then suddenly God offers them an unimaginable opportunity: to have His Word available to them in their heart language.

“Our people are very much proud of this news that we are translating the Bible into our own language. It shows that God has lifted us up high. Mbadja translator, Namibia

How often do we mutter a “prayer” under our breath when someone cuts us off in traffic. “Get’em, Lord,” we may say. But when we mess up, well, there’s grace for us because our intentions are good….

We treat others with retributive justice and want grace for ourselves.

Yet. God does offer us grace. For our attitudes and our actions. And He does see us when we sacrifice for others. And He smiles on us.

For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zephaniah 3:17, NLT

And now, you have the opportunity to show entire bibleless communities the joy God expresses over them. By treating these often-overlooked people the way you want others to treat you, you can spread Christ’s Gospel to the nations. Your Spirit-fueled remembrance of them will tangibly show these under-resourced people groups God has not forgotten them. Give the gift of hope and encouragement by partnering with indigenous Bible translation work today.

Most of our people have been inspired by this [Gospel] message, as they were far from God. Our language will never fall apart. Even the new generation to come will find this Bible, and they will preach the Gospel in their heart language. Mbadja translator, Namibia