Biblical Answer

The Challenge of Prioritizing Our Own Needs with Helping Others

When it comes to helping others, it can be challenging to prioritize our own needs. As the Bible reminds us, we are not alone in our efforts to help others. We should seek advice and listen to advice from wise individuals (Prov. 20:18, Prov. 19:20). In fact, God has distributed many responsibilities to us, including the primary obligation to care for our own family members (1 Tim 5:8). This raises a question: are we obligated to care for other children more than our own simply because they have a greater need than our own children do?

The answer lies in understanding our priorities and the importance of self-care. When we prioritize others, we often forget to take care of ourselves, which can lead to burnout and inefficiency. As the Bible says, "You think you're there to help others, but you quickly realize you're the one being helped" (Prov. 11:25). This is a surprising yet liberating truth. By recognizing our own neediness, we can become more aware of our spiritual limitations and learn from others, including the person we want to help. In essence, prioritizing our own needs enables us to become more effective helpers.

In setting priorities, we must become directed persons rather than driven persons. This involves learning to cooperate with others and recognizing that we don't have real duties, only the illusion of them. By giving what we have and being willing to start at the bottom and cut, we can prioritize our own needs while still being effective in helping others. Ultimately, prioritizing our own needs is not about selfishness, but about becoming more effective and sustainable helpers. By doing so, we can build up our community and strengthen our society, while being self-serving and vindictive does not. As the Bible says, "Benefiting others strengthens our society, while being self-serving and vindictive does not" (Prov. 24:30-34).