Does God Help Those Who Help Themselves.
God helps those who help themselves. Hezikiah 35: 3. Of course there is no such, book, chapter, or verse in the Bible. The quotation is from Benjamin Franklin’s Booklet, Poor Richard’s Almanac. It goes together with other sayings by the American Philosopher, Politician, and Inventor. You might remember, “a penny saved is a penny earned.”
The sentiment is at the heart of the American Dream, the hope of many, that industry, hard work, and a little luck will allow anyone to pull themselves up by the bootstraps to become rich, famous, and maybe even President. It is, no doubt, a laudable sentiment. It’s just not Biblical.
Indeed, one could successfully argue that from the Old Testament to the New ours is a God who in fact helps those who can’t help themselves. Moreover, He encourages us to do the same.
In the Old Testament God makes sure the Israelites take care of widows and orphans; immigrants, and strangers. Moreover, the Prophets make it their business to chastise Kings and other leaders when they fail in this duty.
In the Gospels, Jesus heals the sick, feeds the hungry and raises people from death. You can be sure Lazarus was not going to help himself out of the grave! Beyond this kind of help with worldly affairs the New Testament makes it abundantly clear we are helpless when it comes to righteousness.
The parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector is a very well known example of Jesus teaching. The self righteous are criticized those who seek God’s grace are blessed. St. Paul echos this teaching when he speaks of sin being like a powerful addiction. “The good I would I do not do and the evil I would not that I do.” 12 Step spirituality gets it right with step number one: Came to believe that we were powerless over. One could easily substitute the word sin, in place of alcohol, or drugs.
One should not misconstrue this central point of Christian Faith to suggest God rewards laziness or irresponsibility. Jesus calls us to a level of living and loving that takes a great deal of discipline and courage. His followers are called disciples. It is not easy to love ones neighbor or forgive seventy times seven. However, all the good works, all the ministry we can accomplish are only possible because he has first helped us. Without Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit we can do nothing. God helps those who know they are helpless.