My husband worked as a counselor for 2 summers at a church summer
camp and since then has always been interested in youth ministry. When
we were given the opportunity to work with the teenagers at our church
we were excited. But since we are rookies we often struggle to find good
ideas for activities the teens will enjoy and things that will also
encourage them in their walk with Christ. This year we are trying to
think of more ways to serve the people in our community.
So
Landry(my husband) recently bought a bike for me off Craigslist. There
is a pretty long paved trail right down the street from our apartment
that we have ran a few times(well part of it we ran) and I knew it would
be perfect for riding my new bike on. One day last week I decided I
needed to get out and exercise, but that was not my main reason for
riding my bike down the trail this particular day.
I have been
reading two books one on serving others and one on making disciples.
Also I have recently been studying the book of Revelation, because it is
one book of the Bible I don't think I have ever really read or spent
much time in study on. So all 3 of these books have been making my mind race. I am using my time serving others? Who should I be serving? How
can I be a disciple of Christ yet I never make more disciples? Am I a
lukewarm Christian? Revelation 3:15-22 has really been on my heart.
"...because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out
of my mouth...For you say I am rich, I have prospered and I need
nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, poor, blind and
naked....Behold, I stand at the door and knock, If anyone hears my voice
and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with
me....He who has has an ear, let him hear...."
I say all of
this to say I have been feeling like I need to quit sitting in church
and reading my Bible and getting on "fire" for God and then going out
into the world and doing nothing for him. I know these words may sound
harsh, but they have been weighing heavy on me lately. Matthew 25:31-40
"...I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me
drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed
me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to
me.....Truly, I say to you as you did it to one of the least of these my
brothers, you did it to me." I know I am saved by grace and no matter
how much I try I can not earn my way into heaven. But I love my savior
and I want to be like him and use my short time on this earth to show
his love to those who cross my path. As I read these verses from Matthew
I asked myself, who have a fed? who have I welcomed into my home? who I
have clothed? who have I visited when they were sick or in prison? Yes
there have been times in my life I have done some of those things, but
those times often were organized through church and are not how I live
my day to day life. Am I searching for ways to serve others or ways to
serve myself?
So on this particular day I took a bike ride not
only for exercise, but to serve. I remembered one reason I often don't
go down the trail is because I am fearful of all the homeless I see on
the path or at the park. I often times don't make eye contact as if they
are not human beings just like me. But this day I decided I would fix a
sandwich or two and bring to someone I saw. As I peddled my bike, my
mind raced with reasons I shouldn't help. Maybe they would reject me or
think I am weird for offering or maybe it was unsafe for me by myself to
talk with them. Anyways I chickened out that day, but I was determined
to go back again with my husband.
So last Sunday, as we were
trying to come up with a service project to do with our youth group for
the next week, I asked my husband if we could go back to that park and
talk with some of the homeless. Thankfully I married a man with a very
tender heart for helping others and he agreed to give it another shot
with me.
When we arrived, the park was buzzing with people of all
kinds. A large gathering of Micronesian families were eating while there
kids played on the playground. There were several families barbequing
and a big birthday party celebration under a tent. On the backside near
the water were 2 different groups of homeless people under pavilions. We
nervously paced back and forth trying to get up the nerve to go and
speak with them. What would we say? Would they be happy we wanted to
help or offended that we offered? So we said a prayer together asking
God to give us courage and to lead us to the right people needing help.
After playing on the playground with some kids for a bit we got the
nerve up to go talk to a small group we saw.
We walked up to a
lady sitting on a bench out side her "home", made up of tarps. We
introduced ourselves and told her we were wanting to help some local
people and were wondering what things her and her family were needing.
She introduced herself as Lai and her husband as Joe she said you can
call us Joe-Lai. She was happy we asked and said she needed laundry
detergent, shampoo, blankets and always needed food. We told her we
would come back next Sunday with some teenagers and bring some things
she needed. Then she started telling us a little of how she got to where
she was and mentioned she had not had a hot shower in 6 months. Landry
and I both looked at one another and then said you can come take a
shower at our apartment. She seemed really happy and quickly grabbed her
bag and jumped in our car.
Why does the act of letting a homeless
woman take a shower at our apartment feel so radical? Galatians 6:2
Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. Matthew
5:42 Give to the one who begs of you and do not refuse to the one who
would borrow from you. Proverbs 14:31 Whoever oppresses a poor man
insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors Him. Mark
12:31 Love your neighbor as yourself. Hebrews 13:16 Do not neglect to do
good and share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to
God.Ok ok ok, the list of scriptures go on and on about helping those in
need, but if I know this is what is commanded and what pleases my
Father why do I not live it out? I rode in the back seat as we were
driving home to let her take a shower and I had a wonderful feeling of
joy. I was so thankful that we had a shower and that I have never had to
go a day in my life without taking one if I wanted to. So thankful God
chose us on this day to bless this lady. That we could give to her what
we were given NOT because we deserve it, but we could give because we
were freely given!!
This coming up Sunday we are going back to
this park to serve with the teenagers from our church. I am looking
forward to seeing them feel that same joy we felt that day. I am praying
that they find courage through Christ to talk with the people and to
step out of their comfort zones. I debated whether or not to share this
story on my blog as I don't want to sound as if I am bragging about a
kind act we did. But I decided to share, because I stepped out in faith
which is something I have rarely done in my life and one main reason is
because I have been reading stories of ordinary people following
Christ's commandments to serve as he served. I hope this encourages
someone to step out, to find some need where you live, something you
feel passionate about, some way to show Christ to the world. My prayer
today is that I won't stop with this one small act of kindness. Lord,
please light a fire in me that will not be blown out so easily by my own
fears. I put my trust in you.
