21 Uplifting Bible Verses about Helping Others
- Whitney Hopler Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer
- Published Mar 11, 2022
Helping others is a vital part of being part of God’s family. When we’re in a relationship with God, he wants us to welcome his love to flow through our lives and into other people’s lives. Saying “yes” to God’s call to help others unleashes that love into the world. These Bible verses about helping others can motivate us to join God’s redemptive work in our world.
What Are the Benefits of Helping Others?
Helping others leads to stronger relationships with God, which improves every aspect of our lives. The Bible emphasizes that helping others is valuable for all involved – both givers and recipients. “Generous persons will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed,” Proverbs 11:25 says. God’s promises in the Bible reveal a wealth of benefits to living faithfully – including rewards such as peace, joy, and a sense of purpose. Helping others is an important part of living faithfully, the Bible reveals in verses like Galatians 6:2, which urges: “Carry each other’s burdens and so you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
God’s love should express itself through people loving each other, which includes helping each other. Jesus declares in John 13:35: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” The result of helping others is recognizing the wonder of God’s love at work in the world. God often works through people who let his love flow through their lives. In the process, both those who are helping and those who are being helped notice God’s wonder around them and feel inspired by awe. Feeling awe compels us to put kindness into action, which involves helping others. “Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear [awe] of the Almighty,” Job 6:14 says. My book Wake Up to Wonder explains research that shows how experiencing awe from encountering God’s wonder helps people pursue goodness and altruism, which is unselfish devotion to the welfare of others. People who are inspired by awe become more aware of their connection to others and more motivated to help others in need. My book also explores research into the well-being benefits of helping others. Those benefits include decreased stress, increased happiness, better mental health, and stronger concentration.
More Bible Verses about Helping Others
In addition to the 4 Bible verses about helping others that we have already explored, here are seventeen more motivational verses:
“‘My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” – Jesus speaking in John 15:12-13
“In the same way, let your light shine before people, so they can see the good things you do and praise your Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16
“Don't withhold good from someone who deserves it, when it is in your power to do so.” – Proverbs 3:27
“But if someone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but refuses to help — how can the love of God dwell in a person like that?” – 1 John 3:17
“Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have because God is pleased with these kinds of sacrifices.” – Hebrews 13:16
“‘Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and didn’t do anything to help you?’ Then he will answer, ‘I assure you that when you haven’t done it for one of the least of these, you haven’t done it for me.’” – Matthew 25:44-45
“Contribute to the needs of God’s people, and welcome strangers into your home.” – Romans 12:13
“Give to those who ask, and don’t refuse those who wish to borrow from you.” – Matthew 5:42
“My brothers and sisters, what good is it if people say they have faith but do nothing to show it? Claiming to have faith can’t save anyone, can it? Imagine a brother or sister who is naked and never has enough food to eat. What if one of you said, 'Go in peace! Stay warm! Have a nice meal!?' What good is it if you don't actually give them what their body needs? In the same way, faith is dead when it doesn’t result in faithful activity.” – James 2:14-17
“Those who are gracious to the poor lend to the Lord, and the Lord will fully repay them.” – Proverbs 19:17
“Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others.” – Philippians 2:4
“Poor persons will never disappear from the earth. That’s why I’m giving you this command: you must open your hand generously to your fellow Israelites, to the needy among you, and to the poor who live with you in your land.” – Deuteronomy 15:11
“The crowds asked him [Jesus], ‘What then should we do?’ He answered, ‘Whoever has two shirts must share with the one who has none, and whoever has food must do the same.’” – Luke 3:10-11
“God isn't unjust so that he forgets your efforts and the love you have shown for his name's sake when you served and continue to serve God's holy people.” – Hebrews 6:10
“Happy are generous people, because they give some of their food to the poor.” – Proverbs 22:9
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good portion — packed down, firmly shaken, and overflowing — will fall into your lap. The portion you give will determine the portion you receive in return.” – Luke 6:38
“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.’” – Acts 20:35
10 Creative Ways to Help Others Today
Opportunities for helping others are all around us every day. We can find the best ways to help by asking the Holy Spirit to guide us to opportunities where our interests and talents meet other people’s needs in our communities. The possibilities for helping others are limitless. Here are ten examples of creative ways to help others:
1. Share your skills by offering free workshops or classes through a local library or recreation center, teaching people what you know about a certain topic (such as car maintenance or photography).
2. Donate to a food bank, or cook and deliver a meal to someone you know personally.
3. Offer rides to medical appointments or the grocery store to elderly people who can no longer drive.
4. Read books to young children you know, or help busy parents by offering free childcare so they can go on dates.
5. Volunteer at a local animal shelter, or adopt another pet into your family.
6. If you play a musical instrument, play music for someone you know would enjoy hearing it.
7. Volunteer to help maintain trails at a local park, or to mow your neighbors’ yards for free.
8. Write personal messages in cards to mail to people who need encouragement.
9. Clear out items you don’t need from your home and donate them all to a charity you support.
10. Mentor one person who you can help with either spiritual growth or career development.
Conclusion
Helping others is a vital part of living faithfully. Bible verses about helping others reveal that both givers and recipients benefit when helping happens since God’s love flows between them. All of us can help others in need in some way, through our time, treasure, or talents. Let’s say “yes” when God presents us with opportunities to help.
Photo Credit: Unsplash/Remi Walle
