The Least of These

I saw a show on TV the other day called I Survived. I love this show...it has story after story of people who beat the odds and survive the most dangerous, horrible, unimaginable circumstances.

This particular episode had a story about a missionary in Haiti. He was from California. He lived in Haiti at least 6 months out of the year, running an organization that helped the needy (pretty much 90% of the population in Haiti). He worked with people in the slums, in the ghettos, and in the gangland.

One night he was driving through some gang territories to bring a small child to an airport to get him to the United States for eye surgery that would save his vision, possibly his life. Suddenly gunfire broke out all around him. He himself was shot, although the child was uninjured.

He was being kidnapped for ransom. The gang members asked for $300,000. The missionary had to laugh; he tried explaining he was a missionary, his organization had no money! Eventually he was released for $3000.00, and was able to bring the child to the United States for surgery.

I saw how these people lived. I saw the cardboard shanties and the nasty water. Now these people definitely qualify as "the least of these."

But you don't have to go to Haiti to find people in need. If the Lord calls you there, great!  But the "least of these" are all around you.  You just need to have the eyes to see them:

The woman whose husband just walked out on her and their children, leaving her a single mom working 3 jobs to keep her children fed and clothed.

The soldier's wife, raising a baby alone while her husband is overseas, serving our country.

The homeless man you pass on the street every day on your way to work. Have you ever really seen him?

The elderly man with no family left. No one to visit him. No one to cheer him up in the old folk's home.

The chronically ill. Those who can't leave their homes without help. The shut-in. The sick. The imprisoned.  You may be the only “Jesus” some people ever know. If someone is homebound, or in a nursing home, they can’t get to church.  They don’t hear the Word regularly.  They may be totally alone in this world. YOU could make all the difference.

It’s not always comfortable to do these things.  You may need to go out of your comfort zone a little.  Or a lot.  But if God is calling you to do it (and according to His Word He is), prepare to be uncomfortable.  

How comfortable do you think Jesus was on that cross?

What you do (or don't do) to “the least of these”, you do unto the LORD Himself.

Matthew 25: 40 “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it unto Me.”

Why I Fight So Hard

"If you want to build a ship, don't herd people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." -Antoine De Saint-Exupery

One thing I have learned about being chronically ill is that I can spout off facts and figures til I'm blue in the face, but unless I get people to CARE, it doesn't matter. That’s one reason why I’m so open about my health, about my struggles, and about my feelings. 

I have put videos on youtube where I have bed-head and not a stitch of make up on (and this from a girl who used to not even walk out to the mailbox without makeup on!).  I am willing to embarrass myself and talk about things that 10 years ago I wouldn't even whisper about.

Why?

Because I want people to UNDERSTAND.  I don't want to order them around and tell them to give money or walk for a cure or any other thing to do.  I want them to "long for" people with chronic illness and develop compassion and caring for their fellowman.  I want people to truly FEEL for people who are, in some way, “the least of these.”

If you’ve read anything I’ve written you might come to the conclusion that I tend to “harp” on this issue.  Matthew 25.  Feeding the hungry.  Clothing the naked.  Visiting the sick and imprisoned.  As a friend of mine always says, “It’s all about the widows and orphans.”  That about sums it up, doesn’t it? It really isn't rocket science.

So, do I harp on this issue? You'd better believe it. I'll harp on it until the day I die. If it does no good for me in this lifetime, I'm okay with that. But I may be helping someone out there somewhere who reads this and decides they need to start helping folks out a bit more.

Some of us with chronic illness are weak and tired, in pain, just plain suffering.  I know there are reasons that I may never understand. And I’m okay with that.  God is in control, and He’s got me in the palm of His hand. His plans are so much better than mine...so it's all Him for me.

However, none of my responsibilities go away. I have zero energy on some days.  It’s all I can do to get out of bed.  I have friends who CAN’T get out of bed on their own.  It doesn't matter if I don't feel good. I still have a child to take care of, and things that need to get done. I can't just curl up in a ball and let the world go on its merry way.

Call me a hopeless optimist.  I just have to believe there is more to people.  That there is better out there than the latest examples I’ve seen of “humanity.” That people can love and be decent to one another.  If I didn't have that to hang my hat on, I'd have a hard time holding my head up at all. 

“Carry each others' burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ….⁹ Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:2,9-10

HUGE Thanks

Wow.

I am just thrilled to bits. You ALL know how important Matthew 25 is to me. About taking care of the poor, the widows, orphans, the sick, imprisoned...

Well, HUGE thanks and a great big shout out to the Bridge Church here in Allegan. Their youth leader came to our house yesterday morning with about 12 kids and a few supervisors, and scraped and power-washed all around our house as far as they could reach. (We didn't want ladders, liability, minors, whatever, but I'm sure they would have been willing).

I was feeling very poorly yesterday so I didn't get a chance to go outside and personally thank the kids when they were here. They may never know how BLESSED we felt that they would do this for us.

My husband works his tail off. He's the hardest working man I've ever known (just like my Daddy). He also has to work his tail off at home, outside, taking care of the animals and stuff. Why does he do it? Because he loves us, wants to provide for us, and he wants Jacob to have an awesome childhood. (So do I, otherwise I probably wouldn't live out in the middle on nowhere!)

To have this church, that we don't even go to, call us, come over to our house, and do all that hard work, in the heat....we are so thankful. We are so grateful. Our God is SO good.

I was reading about Solomon today, after he had built the Temple, how the Ark of the Covenant went in, and then the Glory of God filled the Holy of Holies with a cloud. Then Solomon blessed the people and talked about how God had built up leaders among his people.

Anyway, one of the footnotes about this Scripture talked about how for 480 years (since He led the Israelites out of Egypt) God didn’t ask His people to build him a church. It was more important to God that the people grew close to Him and that spiritual leaders were raised up. Relationship with us is far more important to God than buildings of wood or brick.

I LOVED that. The Bridge Church youth group and their leaders know this principal. They go outside their walls. Their pastor called a local ministry to get the name of a family who might need some outside work done. And the ministry gave them our name. God bless them!! God knows how much Doug works, and how hard he works. I need to stop worrying that Doug will do too much. God knows our needs, and met them before we even asked.

These kids have got “it.” The know the deal. They are reaching out to those who CAN’T, because THEY CAN. So thanks again, and may God bless your socks off!!