I recently clothed and fed a homeless man. It revealed an infection in my soul.
Love your enemies...
Love your neighbor as yourself...
Whatever you did for the least of these brothers, you did for me...
Give to anyone who asks you...
Freely you have received, freely give...
I read these passages shake my wise head knowingly check, check, check, now let's move on to the hard stuff. Well, now I know. There is nothing harder. "Whatever you do to the least of these, you do to me." Yes, Jesus, but while you were homeless and lived a life of poverty, it was different because you weren't in the city - the city that breaks people and kills their hearts - you weren't fighting an addiction to drugs, and I'm sure you didn't smell bad, did you? And you didn't take advantage of people - you would have bought the least expensive things.
Remember that post about Extravagant love? God showed me what this actually looks like - and I have wrestled with it for days. This oil of sin has corroded my heart -I am a terminal case - Dying of selfishness. I will not make it without the healing of Christ. The grace. Thank you for showing me this Lord - I might have lived another day thinking I was good enough on my own, I might not have sought your grace today - my only hope.
Love your enemies...
Love your neighbor as yourself...
Whatever you did for the least of these brothers, you did for me...
Give to anyone who asks you...
Freely you have received, freely give...
I read these passages shake my wise head knowingly check, check, check, now let's move on to the hard stuff. Well, now I know. There is nothing harder. "Whatever you do to the least of these, you do to me." Yes, Jesus, but while you were homeless and lived a life of poverty, it was different because you weren't in the city - the city that breaks people and kills their hearts - you weren't fighting an addiction to drugs, and I'm sure you didn't smell bad, did you? And you didn't take advantage of people - you would have bought the least expensive things.
Remember that post about Extravagant love? God showed me what this actually looks like - and I have wrestled with it for days. This oil of sin has corroded my heart -I am a terminal case - Dying of selfishness. I will not make it without the healing of Christ. The grace. Thank you for showing me this Lord - I might have lived another day thinking I was good enough on my own, I might not have sought your grace today - my only hope.
I have struggled with this too. I don't think we should give willy-nilly, but on the other hand, God charged us to take care of the poor and those less fortunate than we are. He didn't say, "do a background check before you give money to make sure they are spending it wisely." Or "don't give food and clothes to the people who are capable of getting a job and taking care of themselves." Those things aren't for me to decide. They are for God to decide. And I am no longer stone-hearted and stingy when someone asks me for money. One time I gave a box of tampons to a homeless lady. And I usually give anyone who asks all the cash I have on me... although it usually isn't much. Let God sort out the political details... my job is to give. You have a beautiful way of expressing yourself. Thank you for reminding me.
"The city that breaks people, and kills their hearts..." I've experienced that soul suck when just visiting a big city, and the people there broke my heart. Did I give everything I had? No, I was afraid. I gave to a select few, and wallowed in worry for the rest. I try to be more prepared now, to have a heart willing to give freely...