For the last several months I have been struggling with this concept in one particular area. I have a heart for orphans, I heart to see others know and love God, a heart for the broken, but something that has been tugging at my heart every time I see it, is the homeless. It might be the empathy strength in me, but my heart goes out for them. I can't imagine at the end of the night, not having a home to go to or a place to stay. Yes maybe some of these people have made some mistakes, but don't we all. We all mess up, and yet there is still grace and forgivenss in the hands of God. Each one of these individuals has a story...each one has hurts and pains, struggles,etc.
It's also easy for me to look at them and judge. It is so easy to point a finger and think you should have made different choices, and maybe you wouldn't be in this situation. But who am I to judge.
Part of the reason I have been struggling with this is that God's heart is for these people, and I don't know the best way to help them? Do they need money? food? clothing? etc (yes, yes, yes!). But is that the best way to help them? I don't feel called to minister to homeless people full time, but I do have a heart to help them, and show them the love of Jesus, and that someone cares. I think that is it...I want to show them that despite where they are at in life, there is a God who loves them, and intimately knows them, and cares deeply for them.
I think a lot of it is being obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and sensing what He wants you to do.
Mother Theresa was an amazing woman, and I just stumbled upon this quote today from her:
"Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat."
There is so much truth in her words. We all desire to be loved and to be known by someone...
I have ignored them. I have ignored that tug on my heart to help someone, and try to justify my thoughts or feelings, as sympathy/empathy for that person. We can't help every one. There is just too much.
I am just rambling on here, but I think the thing that I am getting at is that if God is tugging your heart with something, don't ignore it or let it go. He has a heart for all His people, and that tugging of the heart is his heart for others. I am convicted and am speaking to myself here as well, and need to take action. If the Holy Spirit is speaking to you to do something, even simple and seemingly not significant, then we should pay attention to the leading and obey it.
Mother Theresa also said, "Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing." You never know what just your smiling could do for someone?
I think of the verse where Jesus says, "whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me." Who are the least of these. When we help others in need, it is not about us or how we feel. Yes, there is that feeling of satisfaction that you have done something to help another in need, but we should really be doing it to glorify God. Really think about those words that Jesus said. I think about those individuals representing Jesus. They are precious, they have value and worth, they are loved...
I have been reading in James lately, and in James 1:27 it says:
"Religion that God our Father accepts as faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows and distress and to keep oneself from being poluluted by the world
Here are some other words...
Isaiah 41:17 states, "The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the LORD will answer them; I, the God of Israel will not forsake them."
Isaiah 58:6-7
If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and yournight will become like the noonday."
Matthew 25:35
"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in."
Matthew 19:21
"Jesus answered, If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. then come, follow me."
and finally 1 John 3:17-18
"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with ACTIONS and in TRUTH."
What truth... Let us not love with words, but let it show in our ACTIONS. Love is an ACTION. God loves you, God loves me, and God loves others. How are we going to show His love to others today?
I-Heart Revolution
Here is a website for a community of people who share ideas of what they are doing to help others. I-Heart is to bring inspiration, awareness and Connection to a community of people. Injustice is happening all around the world, and if we work together, the big things don't seem so big after all. You should check this site out for more ideas and info...
http://www.i-heart.org/
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