It has been my honor to witness each day how that the poor are so willing to share what ever they have (and they have so little) to ensure that the soul next to them has all he needs for the day. The poor often see the incredible value of what little they have and how their little is such a great gift to the person in need next to them. In other words, they see the incredible value of one hurting soul, and would give it all for them. In contrast we who are rich amass huge amounts of material possessions while attributing little value to it all. Often hoarding the worlds wealth to ourselves while next to us stands a soul hungry and hurting and we calmly walk on by. I am greatly perplexed in all of this because I know that my very financial welfare is subject to the generosity of my rich friends (of whom I am so thankful). Yet, as I have expressed needs to feed, clothe and house the poor the response from my rich friends is incredibly and painfully slow. My experience over the last year is that homelessness is painful, but being held there by my rich brothers is far more unbearable. One of the greatest pains I have faced personally and professionally as I have over the years worked with those in need is how little we are willing to give to a fellow human being in need. There are no words to express the pain when my friends have told me they dont have money to minister to the poor while next week seeing pictures of the Bahamas, Europe, and the finest restaurants. Most of the hurting folks I have had to work with are very decent, godly, loving folks who would do anything for anybody. I find it amazing that I have often witness a homeless man mowing a homeowners lawn because the homeowner is sick and elderly. And that it was done out of love while expecting nothing back. You learn the most solemn truths, humble truths while living with the homeless. You see the other side of society (the rich side; meaning middle class and above) from an entirely different point of view. In this world money covers sin, and a vacation can renew a lease on life. But, in the next world the money used to cover the naked, to feed the hungry, to heal the sick and to entertain a stranger leads to a great and eternal reward. And vacations are not necessary, because if Christ is in you, there is no lease on life, because Christ is in you and He is life. And if you are alive in Christ because Christ is in you, and he has come for the sick and the sinner, then just maybe we all would stop in our hurried rush to by some trinket that we really dont value very much. Maybe we would short our vacation from two weeks to one and serve the hurting and the homeless in our own town. Maybe we would discover behind the face of a homeless soul, the eyes of Jesus (and know his belly is hungry and his heart is broken). Did he not say, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. (Matthew 25:40). In love, for all of Gods children. -- Keith Brown at AgapePoint
Posted on: Mon, 21 Jul 2014 15:57:56 +0000
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