It has touched a lot of sensitive areas in my life. Where do I stand helping others? How much of my own comfort am I willing to give up for that help? Am I really living a Christ like life? How much do I value others' lives over my own? Are my priorities straight?
All these questions floating around. It takes a lot of self-reflection and honestly some of the answers I don't like because I'm selfish. I like my time. I like my space. I like my family. Then the disgust sets in for all that liking of time and space because in the end will I be satisfied to answer the question, "Did I do enough?"
We don't get to heaven by works or being a good person or living by the right rules. We get there by the acceptance of what Jesus did for us, but what I mean is did I do enough with what I was given? Did I use my gifts and talents? Did I use the resources I was given in the proper manner?
Here's a perfect example.
My mom and I were talking the other day and she mentioned how she feels we live in a society where people are looked at as throw aways. We see this all the time in life. The teenagers that are dressed funky. The homeless on the street. The provocatively dressed young lady. How many times do we walk by in judgement? We assume we know why they are the way they are. We assume we know what's caused them to be in this time and place. We assume there is nothing we can do to help.
Wrong.
I love how Christine Caine put this kind of topic in her book. I've read it a handful of times and each time it inspires me to search harder for what I can do to display this kind of love.
No matter how deep the pit or dark the night, I will always look for you and rescue you because I love you with an everlasting love. You are precious to me. Even when you mess up, even when you're careless or mistaken or afraid or broken or weak, I still love you. Even when you are incapable of doing anything for anyone, including yourself, I still love you. And just as I come for you, I come for all those who have made mistakes, and those who are overlooked, for those devalued and despised. I come for all the wrong people--the careless and uncared for, the merry and the miserable. I come for the lost, whether the lost is a silly sheep, a silver coin, or a squandering son. (pg 135, Undaunted)
If Jesus searches for these people, cares for these people, loves these people, then WHY AREN'T WE??? We are not helpless individuals. We are powerful in Christ. When you see this kind of passion spilled out on the pages of a book, how can I think, "There's not much I can do. It's just the way it is." People are not throw aways. They are not old shoes. They are not wasted spaces. There are treasures deep inside waiting, waiting, for YOU!
I pray you find your niche, your calling, into how you are to serve others. We are not all called in the same way, but we are called for something.
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