“I want you to share your food with the hungry and to welcome the poor wanderer into your homes. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.”
Isaiah 58: 7
Savannah, almost three, was passing out water bottles from the back of her grandmother’s SUV to the homeless. It was a record breaking day of 106 degrees; yet she managed to utter words of encouragement to each person as she handed them a water bottle. “Jesus loves you and so do I. The LORD wants you to be cool, so here is some water,” she said as the sweat ran down her little brow. Then, without warning Savannah crawled out of her grandmother’s SUV. Grandma watched as she made her way to a man in a wheelchair. He was very dirty. His leg had been amputated above the knee, blood and puss were oozing from it. Savannah walked up to the man and got very close to him. She looked him in the eye and held his face with her tiny hands and said, “You have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen.” They were in fact very beautiful. The man’s periwinkle eyes filled with tears, and they began to spill over onto his dirt stained cheeks. Savannah handed the man his water and returned to the back of the SUV and resumed her duties, “Jesus loves you and so do I.”
I can’t think of many people who would allow their child to even get near the homeless let alone allow them to serve or touch them. I have to be honest; I am one of those people. Whenever we serve in situations like that, my first concern is for the safety of my children.
As you read this story, did Savannah’s safety pop into your head? Even as her grandmother told me the story, she assured me of Savannah’s safety.
Isn’t it interesting that we care more about our safety and comfort than doing what the LORD instructs us to do. We sit in nice churches and fellowship with nice people. We insulate ourselves and our children. I heard a pastor once call it “Christian bubble wrap.” I was completely offended when I heard him refer to my parenting style that way. However, I then prayed about it and asked myself what God do I serve, the sovereign LORD, or the god of security and comfort?
Serving the unfortunate is not a routine activity like going to church is, yet God does not ask for regular church attendance as an act of true worship. Church attendance is easy and comfortable. It requires very little of us. Taking care of widows, orphans and the poor is not comfortable. It requires us to step out of our comfort zone. Writing a check or praying may be all you can do and then again maybe its not. Ask the LORD how He would like you to serve Him today? It doesn’t have to be big. We always think about doing grand things for the LORD. What about doing something as small as holding a man’s cheeks who probably hasn’t been touched in a long time and telling him he’s beautiful.
