I'm sitting here on the one lazy night I'm going to have this week, preparing to move and watching a tv show called "Cut Off." Essentially it's a group of spoiled women who are being threatened with getting cut off from their wealthy families unless they shape up. The challenge they had to complete in the episode I was watching was cook a meal and serve a group of homeless men. Of course they weren't crazy about it, one girl even said she felt like homeless people were "scary," and complained the entire time she was cooking the meal. Their attitudes didn't change until they sat down with the men and heard their stories. One woman in particular was moved to tears hearing about how one man didn't let his daughters know he was homeless because he intended to work hard enough to move himself out of poverty.As I pack up my life into cardboard boxes, and I look around at my room and see all of the belongings that I'm blessed to be able to have been able to buy, my heart aches. How many of us don't realize how blessed we are to have what we have until we hear the story of how someone truly has nothing? I'm sure that the producers of the show didn't intend to make everyone cry who watched that episode, but I can't help but to wonder how many people live in total oblivion of what God's given them while people live outside our homes, in our alleyways, under our bridges, starving - overheating, dehydrated, without proper clothing and a lot of times, sick. Who is supposed to look out for these down and out brothers and sisters of ours? If not us, who will?
So I've been thinking a lot lately about what I truly hold dear to my heart, what I'd grab if I had 30 seconds to get out of a burning house. First, as evident by the picture above of my big brother John and I - my family. I can't even describe how much my family means to me, and how I don't know what I'd do without them. I pray every day I don't have to find out. Next, my dog Orion. She's getting older and I love nothing to more than to spend time in my car, driving with the windows down and her little head poking out over the car door with her ears flying in the wind... or cuddling and watching a movie on a rainy day. This little dog brings so much joy to me I can't even explain it - (seriously if you have a dog, you understand!) I also have some absolutely amazing friends... there are a few in particular that I know I can call in the middle of the night and they'll jump in a car (or on a plane) and be at my doorstep in a few minutes.
That's what I value. Above all else, I value my walk with Jesus Christ because He is my best friend, my savior, and the reason why I am the woman I am today. As time passes and life gets more difficult and complicated, my solution gets easier because I am conditioning myself to turn to Him and give it to Him because I can't do it on my own. One day, he'll bring me a husband, and I pray every day that he and I can root our relationship in the love of Christ, together.
All of this aside, I still think about those who aren't as fortunate as you and I are. We have a roof over our heads, food to eat, clothes to wear, AIR CONDITIONING to keep us cool... but what about those who don't? The Bible has a few different views on this particular thought:
There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I command you to be openhearted toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land -
Deuteronomy 15:11
Because I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist him - Job 29:12
What these verses are saying is that God did it. God reached out and bound the brokenhearted, giving the lost direction and the starving food. He met them where they were, broken and bleeding, and restored them to their full potential.
Why don't we live our lives like this? More selfless, less materialistic. When you see a brother starving and hungry on the side of the road, don't turn our head and look away to avoid eye contact. Go buy some food, a Gatorade, and bring it to him. I felt so convicted watching the men on the show talk about how they'd been sons of businessmen, forging ahead in their own careers, and then ended up where they were on the show. It made me really thankful, but with a caveat.
If you know me, you know that I 100% believe in working hard and doing your own part. No one should ever get a free ride for anything. No one deserves it, no one is at a disadvantage in this country, I don't buy it and I don't feel bad for anyone except those who are truly, physically incapable of working. We all come into this world the same way and we'll all leave the same way, your life is what you make it. But that doesn't mean that we should ever refuse to help someone because we don't agree with their life choices. If nothing else, that difference should encourage us to help them because it will give us an opportunity to understand and learn something new.
In short, we need to give back. In the book of Mark, blind Bartimaeus heard Jesus coming down a path and cried out, "Jesus, son of David, help me! Jesus, son of David, HELP ME!" over and over until the same villagers who had mocked and ignored him were beckoning to him to come to Jesus as Jesus called him. He had nothing, not even any pride, and he was given everything because he reached out to the one who had everything to give.
Sometimes we all feel like we don't have what we need to make it, and that's okay. We're entitled to have bad days, days where we just don't feel like we have enough to give - but on those days its even more vital to remember how blessed we are, and to keep life in perspective. I want to encourage you, in times where the economy, our government, our neighbors and our friends are struggling to make the bills, to make ends meet - in the words of Andrea Chidester, "It won't always be this way." Have faith that the storm will clear, and you will be able to breathe again. God has been, is, and will forever be faithful to you and all you need - He sees you struggle. All you have to do is ask for Him and he will be there!
Parting thought:
What is the price of two sparrows - one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your father knowing it - Matthew 10:29.
Talk soon.
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