gifts of healings, helps,...” (1 Cor 12:28).

God ranked “helps” sixth (1 Cor 12:28), just after miracles and healings. This indicates how beneficial this gift is to the body of Christ. It is quite an honor to be listed just after the power of God gifts, miracles and healings.

The true and certain, regular and ordinary, main Biblical meaning, sense, or use of the word is to support someone or something. For example, in the Greek, “helps” (1 Cor 12:28) here primarily means to hold fast to or to lay hold of anything in order to support it. For example, the ship that Paul was on needed help, so “they used supporting cables in undergirding the ship” (Ac 27:17), where “supporting” literally translates “helps” (although it is a different Greek word than the one used for “helps” on 1 Corinthians 12:28).

He supported Paul in his time of need. For example, “You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains; but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me--the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on that day--and you know very well what services he rendered at Ephesus” (2 Tim 1:15-18).

“Onesiphorus... he often refreshed me” (vs. 16). This is the defining feature of those who have the gift of help. They “often refresh” individuals, like Onesiphorus. Here “often” means frequently, not infrequently; regularly, not irregularly; habitually, not once and done. Time after time, often to their own exhaustion, often to the putting off of their own interests and priorities, those with the gift of help make you feel like you and your needs are first place, not second or last place. The thing about effective helpers is that they seem to be more focused on the needs of others, instead of their own needs. They easily fulfill this verse: “do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4). Onesiphorus looked out for the interests of Paul in order to refresh him. That is why the Onesiphorus types are Onesi--FOR US! Indeed, the gift of help is refreshing.

“You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me... The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he was not ashamed of my chains” (vs. 15, 16). Evidently, every Christian in Asia deserted Paul in his time of need, but not Onesiphorus. He “was not ashamed” to help Paul. He did not desert Paul when he needed support. This is another defining feature of those with the gift of help. They are not ashamed to help anyone in need. Therefore, you’ll notice that an effective helper is one who is not usually ashamed of you when you need help.

Take heed to yourself, you who have the gift of help. Prevent yourself from doing what Jehoshaphat did or else you will receive God’s wrath. Jehoshaphat was not ashamed to help someone he should have been ashamed to help. A prophet said to him, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD and so bring wrath on yourself from the LORD?” ( 2 Chro 19:2)

“Onesiphorus... he eagerly searched for me and found me” (vs. 15, 16, 17). This is another defining feature of the one with the gift of help, initiative. Onesiphorus “eagerly searched” for Paul in order to support him. There are two things I want you to notice here. One, that Onesiphorus took the initiative to help Paul because he “searched” for him. He did not wait for Paul to summon him for help. He took the first step. Second, Onesiphorus did this “eagerly”, meaning diligently, with haste, speedily. Those with the gift of help are not slow about it, but quick to support something or someone in need.

“you know very well what services he rendered at Ephesus” (vs. 18). I want you to notice two things here. First, Onesiphorus had a reputation, a history of helping. It was something that others had come to “know very well”. In other words, it was well-known. This is another defining feature of those with the gift of help. Their service is not short lived or temporary. They are not a flash in the pan, but a continual bright spot [remember they “often” vs. infrequently help]. So they gain a reputation for it. Second, Onesiphorus was resourceful. Paul used the word “services”, which is in the plural, to indicate the variety of ways in which Onesiphorus helped at Ephesus. So those with the gift of help are usually able to support others in several ways, not just one. They are resourceful.

Phoebe had a reputation for helping others. Paul spoke well of her for this, saying, “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea; that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, and of myself as well” (Ro 16:1, 2). Have you been a helper of many or are you mostly helping yourself? Are you a person who is known for your support of others? What kind of reputation do you have?

Before she was married, Rebekah showed outstanding ability to support the needs of others. For example, when Abraham’s servant was praying to find the right wife for Isaac, Rebekah showed her effectiveness to serve in the following manner. Abraham’s servant said to Rebekah, “ ‘Please let me drink a little water from your jar.’ She said, ‘Drink, my lord’; and she quickly lowered her jar to her hand, and gave him a drink. Now when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, ‘I will draw also for your camels until they have finished drinking.’ So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, and ran back to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels” (Ge 24:17-20).

The very first thing that Rebekah said to him in response to his request was: “Drink”. She did not refuse him or say, “You can get your own drink over there.” She did not first tell him to wait. She was not disrespectful about it by saying, “tough,” or “get it yourself.” That is not a helpful way to respond towards others. Instead, Rebekah focused on satisfying the need. It became her number one responsibility. When someone asks you for help, do you get right to the point of helping them with what they need? If someone who is in need of food asks you for food, do you say, “Eat”? Or do you get sidetracked? Rebekah did not get sidetracked or distracted. The very first thing she did was to focus in on satisfying the need. It became her number one priority.

He was not her husband. He was not her father. But she said, “my lord”. She called him her lord. Rebekah had no difficulty in speaking this way even with a stranger. She used the most respectful and fitting words in her first response to his request for help. Are you respectful to the person who asks you for help? Does your initial response, your very first sentence, include the most respectful and fitting salutations? (But do not forget that Jesus forbids the use of religious titles. I made this known to you in the very first lesson on the gift of leading).

“She quickly lowered her jar to her hand... she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, and ran back to the well to draw”. Rebekah was not slow or lagging behind. She was “quick” to help him. Even more she “ran” in order to give a drink to his camels. Perhaps you might think that camels can wait a little bit, that there is no need to rush to help them. Not Rebekah. She helped them as fast as she could; she ran to serve them. That’s what made her an effective helper. She was diligent. Diligence means to make haste, to do thing quickly, to be quick about it, to work hard in the sense of hurrying to get something done vs. lagging behind or being slothful. She did not procrastinate. When you are asked for something that is within your power to give, do you quickly give it? Have you ever ran to make certain that you are being most diligent? Do you hurry to fulfill needs? Do you hustle? How fast are you to help others?

“she... gave him a drink”. Rebekah took it upon herself to personally give him what he was asking for. Did she say, “Get it yourself.” Did she tell him how to get a drink or direct him where to get a drink of water? Did she say, “It’s over there.”? Did she ask somebody else to give him a drink? Did she wait for someone else to give him a drink? Helpers usually do not delegate tasks to someone else. Helpers usually do not wait for someone else to satisfy needs. They personally fulfill them.

“Now when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, ‘I will draw also for your camels until they have finished drinking.’ ” After she finished helping the man with what he had asked for, she then took it upon herself to help in another logical way; to give a drink to his camels. She was not told to do this. He did not ask her to do this. She did not ask if she could do this. She simply noticed the need and satisfied it. Like Rebekah, effective helpers repeatedly help others without hesitating or waiting. They usually see more than one need, and then they do something about it. Rebecka was resourceful, like Onesiphorus. She helped in a variety of logical and fitting ways.

“Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came to draw water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. Then the shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and helped them and watered their flock. When they came to Reuel their father, he said, ‘Why have you come back so soon today?’ So they said, ‘An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and what is more, he even drew the water for us and watered the flock.’ He said to his daughters, ‘Where is he then? Why is it that you have left the man behind? Invite him to have something to eat’ ” (Ex 2:16-20). Like Rebekah, Moses personally helped them by drawing the water himself and watering the flock. This enabled them to return early to their father, who ask why they were done so soon. It was Moses’ diligence that caused this.

The very purpose and nature of a deacon is to help the church. Deacon work is task work, not oversight work (shepherding/pastoring). Deacons are not pastors of the church, but helpers of the pastors and the church. Why the Greek word “Deacon” can even can be acceptably translated “servant” because “deacon” means servant. For example, the church in Jerusalem chose seven holy men to serve food to widows (Ac 6:1-6). They were waiters. This is task work, compassionate task work, merciful task work.

Before you take this test, each of you must first understand and realize one thing. There are God-breathed eligibility requirements for this gift (1 Tim 3:8-15), and they are required vs. optional. Therefore be strict with them but not hypocritical, for “Deacons... must be” (vs. 8); must be” (vs. 10), “must be” (vs. 12).

Do others consider you reverend, venerated, & honorable in character? [“Deacons must be men of dignity” 1 Tim 3:8]

Do you have a history / a track record of satisfactory service to the church? [“must also first be tested” 1 Tim 3:10]

Are you a husband of one wife, not single or divorced? [Deacons must be the husband of” 1 Tim 3:12]

Before you appoint a deacon, he must first be tested. “These men [candidates for deacon] must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach” (1 Tim 3:10). It is a reproach for any member to serve God in an appointed role and yet have to call them to account for their unfinished or botched responsibilities that were given to them by the church and by God. Deacons must be like the ant, who in a sense needs no manager, and therefore is trustworthy to do his job at the appointed times (Pr 6:6-11). Not only must those who lead souls be diligent (Ro 12:8), those who lead tasks, deacons, must be diligent. So test candidates for diligence, if they meet all of the other requirements as well.

Do you like to be irritated? Do you like to have plans frustrated? Then hire, appoint, or select one who lags behind or is slack in his efforts to do the work. “Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy one to those who send him” (Pr 10:26). Like a kite flying high in the air without a string, so is the person who is slack in his responsibilities. Things get out of control, or are misguided or falter with slackness. On the other hand, the diligent person is like a tight string that keeps the kite flying and sailing in the stiff winds of life. This takes some skill and definitely effort and focus. The Bible is quite clear of this fact, that if you want to be appointed to serve, you must prove to possess one quality, diligence.

Paul said, “And we have sent with them our brother, who we have often tested and found diligent in many things” (2 Co 8:22). He was likely speaking about Barnabas, and about the deaconic service of taking alms to the poor disciples in Jerusalem who were suffering from a severe famine. Because of this brothers diligence in many things, he was appointed to help administer the gracious financial gift that the churches were sending to relieve those in Judea.

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