I've been leading a study by Priscilla Shirer on Discerning the Voice of God. This is something that I have really struggled with, especially over the past year. As Titus & I have been praying about what God has for us in Peru, I have felt a distance between God & I growing. I have felt afraid of what He may ask me to do. I have felt torn with my heart in two places. I have been almost avoiding really listening to God because I almost don't want to hear what He has to say. That's been something hard for me to admit but the truth all the same.
Last week, our friends from Scripture Union: Peru came to speak to a group from our church on the situation with the boys' homes in Peru & their financial troubles, seeking to raise awareness & support. I found myself in tears listening to stories about "my boys." It just felt so real, so close, so personal to me. Titus & I had a chance to share a little at the end of the night & Titus shared scripture from James 1:27-
Pure & genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans & widows in their distress & refusing to let the world corrupt you.
As Titus & I have reflected on the night, we have been discussing our duty as believers-- what God has specifically called us to do as His children, not things that are merely suggested. According to James 1:27, we are to care for orphans & widows in their distress. Again we see--
Give to the one who asks you and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow. Matthew 5:42
Defend the weak & the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor & the oppressed. Rescue the weak & the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. Psalm 82:3-4
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up & judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor & needy. Proverbs 31:8-9
You know, it's almost sickening to look at the statistics in the world. I can't find exact numbers but I know the number of people dying from preventable causes like hunger & hygiene is staggering. If we as professing Christians took seriously what God's Word says & actually did something about it, maybe those numbers wouldn't be so large. I know it can be overwhelming to look at things on a large scale, but it all starts with helping one person at a time. And it isn't a suggestion at all. It's a command that God says in His Word over & over again. Maybe we should listen...
...A few weeks ago, my 5 year old sister Avree started to notice homeless people on the side of the road with signs asking for help. Personally as a young woman, I generally won't give to others in these situations for safety reasons when I am alone. Avree asked me what they wanted & I explained a little to her about what it meant to be homeless & how they wanted help. "Can we give them some money?" she asked. I explained that sometimes in these situations, money is not always helpful because of things like addictions (in kid terms, of course). She asked me if there was something we could do like give them like food or things the could use. I remembered something I had seen a couple years ago where people put together bags of supplies & kept them in their car to pass out to homeless people they saw. I told Avree we could get some things at the store to put bags together for those people with a Bible to show them that someone cares & Jesus loves them. She loved the idea & was over the top excited to go shopping & pick out little treasures to fill the bags. My heart smiled as we went through Wal-Mart & she said things like, "Oh, they would love this!" or "Do you think this would be something they could use?" We put them all together & she proudly showed her work with the precious innocence of a child.
You know, I'll be honest- I often look the other way when I see the homeless. I don't see them through Jesus' eyes & I automatically judge & see addiction, unwise choices, & lives entangled with sin. But Avree saw them differently. She saw them as people who needed help, & we could do something to help them. She really taught me a lesson that day. A lesson that God has been impressing in my heart for quite sometime now-- God created us, and we can-- and should-- do something to love those who are destitute, poor, unloved, & forgotten.
As I was thinking on all this, I happened to see a beautiful video on Facebook that encompassed this thought so well-- it definitely brought a tear to my eye. You can check it out here.
I love the song Do Something by Matthew West. So often we think someone else will do something. But maybe, just maybe, God has put that person in your path as a way for you to show His love to the world. Matthew 25:37-40 says,
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Think about it.
Do Something
by Matthew West
I woke up this morning
Saw a world full of trouble now
Thought, how’d we ever get so far down
How’s it ever gonna turn around
So I turned my eyes to Heaven
I thought, “God, why don’t You do something?”
Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought of
People living in poverty
Children sold into slavery
The thought disgusted me
So, I shook my fist at Heaven
Said, “God, why don’t You do something?”
He said, “I did, I created you”
If not us, then who
If not me and you
Right now, it’s time for us to do something
If not now, then when
Will we see an end
To all this pain
It’s not enough to do nothing
It’s time for us to do something
I’m so tired of talking
About how we are God’s hands and feet
But it’s easier to say than to be
Live like angels of apathy who tell ourselves
It’s alright, “somebody else will do something”
Well, I don’t know about you
But I’m sick and tired of life with no desire
I don’t want a flame, I want a fire
I wanna be the one who stands up and says,
“I’m gonna do something”
We are the salt of the earth
We are a city on a hill
But we’re never gonna change the world
By standing still
No we won’t stand still
If not us, then who
If not me and you
Right now, it’s time for us to do something
If not now, then when
Will we see an end
To all this pain
It’s not enough to do nothing
It’s time for us to do something
Saw a world full of trouble now
Thought, how’d we ever get so far down
How’s it ever gonna turn around
So I turned my eyes to Heaven
I thought, “God, why don’t You do something?”
Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought of
People living in poverty
Children sold into slavery
The thought disgusted me
So, I shook my fist at Heaven
Said, “God, why don’t You do something?”
He said, “I did, I created you”
If not us, then who
If not me and you
Right now, it’s time for us to do something
If not now, then when
Will we see an end
To all this pain
It’s not enough to do nothing
It’s time for us to do something
I’m so tired of talking
About how we are God’s hands and feet
But it’s easier to say than to be
Live like angels of apathy who tell ourselves
It’s alright, “somebody else will do something”
Well, I don’t know about you
But I’m sick and tired of life with no desire
I don’t want a flame, I want a fire
I wanna be the one who stands up and says,
“I’m gonna do something”
We are the salt of the earth
We are a city on a hill
But we’re never gonna change the world
By standing still
No we won’t stand still
If not us, then who
If not me and you
Right now, it’s time for us to do something
If not now, then when
Will we see an end
To all this pain
It’s not enough to do nothing
It’s time for us to do something
Covered by His grace alone,
Kailee
