“For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.” (Matthew 25:35-36)
K-Love radio station has “Make a Difference Mondays” and “Wow Wednesays” (I think) and I have very recently heard of a “Wow” story I wanted to share. It’s one of those stories that needs to be in the news. It’s the type of tale that needs to go viral. This story is one that gives people a reminder and an inspiration to open their hearts, give their time, and share their resources.
Imagine you have lost your home, your job, your marriage, one of your children is sick and you just lost someone dear in their battle with cancer. While you are still knocked to the ground someone comes along and starts setting things in motion. All of the sudden there just happens to be a house that might b e available rent free for a few months, all it needs is a lot of work, which you don’t know how to do and don’t the resources do. But wait! Here come carpenters, electricians, wood workers, carpet, flooring, and everything else; everyone donating the time, the resources and the talent to get the house ready to occupy.
See, this one person’s hardships is becoming an opportunity for others to show compassion and to be the hands and feet of Jesus. God calls us to help the lost, homeless and sick. I am not sure why more of us don’t do this naturally but I don’t think we do. The people who have gathered to pull this together so that this woman and her family can have a temporary home may have their eyes more opened to the world around them. If this one woman is struggling the way she is what about other families? What about other children, moms, dads, grandparents, and neighbors who struggling to find air in their situation? What can you do? What can I do?
With our Oakwood kids we are talking about this with them for the month of February. We are trying to show them that the little things we do for people in our backyard, or around the world, are the very things Jesus was asking us to do. There is an entire world of hurt and hardship out there. Where is God calling you and what can you do, no matter how small or big it may feel to you, to be Jesus and meet someone in their circumstance and show them that there is a light at the end of the road.
