I have so many choices in my life. I can decide what I want to eat, where I want to go to college, or what career I want to have. I have an abundance of decisions to make in every aspect of my life. And more than likely, so do you! We are in control of our own lives and can choose where to go because of how blessed we are. By simply living in the United States, we have more choices than so many men, women, and children have around the world.
At one of the ministry sites I am currently working at called 7.8 (which is a garbage dump in which people have built their homes and is named after the magnitude of the earthquake that devastated western Ecuador last April), the families there are often left without choices. They don’t get to pick what clothes they wear because the only ones they have are ones donated to them by local churches. They don’t get to choose what they eat because our ministry hosts are the ones that bring them food a few times a week. They don’t get to make the decision about what their future will look like because, more than likely, the poverty cycle will take them in and not allow them to get a proper education thus destining them, their children, and their children’s children to a life where they will work, play, and live, in one place, the garbage dump.
This harsh reality is something that we, as Americans, aren’t exposed to very often. It is not on the news or in the spotlight because, frankly, a lot of us choose to buy into the lie that the rest of the world is not hungry, simply because there is plenty of food on our tables. But God sees all of his children. This includes the broken and the hungry. He calls each of us to reach out to them and not withhold the good news that Jesus is alive and he wants to give them hope for the future!
The light that Jesus shines is too bright for one person to hold all alone. We, as brothers and sisters in Christ, need to share it and allow that light to infiltrate the physical and spiritual poverty that exists both in other countries, and in our own backyards. The poverty cycle exists in the United States and we have a choice. Do we stand by and allow people to be hurting? Or do we live a life of compassion, through Jesus Christ, by taking the opportunities put before us in our own hometowns to give, love, and bring kingdom to every corner of the earth. Let us live and walk in the freedom that God has blessed us with and extend that to everyone. Lets give them choices. Even the smallest one can restore someones sense of dignity and can show them who Jesus is.
Here is a few practical ways you can love people by giving them choices:
If you see someone who is homeless, give them a gift card to a nearby fast-food restaurant. This will allow them to order for themselves and make one more decision about his or her life that they wouldn’t have otherwise.
If you are giving away clothes or other items, rather than taking them to good will (lets be honest, do we really NEED that tax deduction?) take them to a place in your town where people are in need and allow people to go “shopping”. If you want to make it an event, give each person fake money of some sort and have them spend it on the things they want or need!
If you feel called to minister to someone, give them space to share their story. Everyone has one that they can share. Giving them an opportunity to do that lets them know that people care and more than that, the Lord cares.
And the most important choice that you can offer someone is the choice to invite Jesus into his or her life. By telling them about who Jesus is and what he did for them can radically change a persons life. It can give them hope, peace, love, and so many other beautiful things. Just buy opening a conversation and offering them a choice about where they want their lives to go, so many things and people can be radically changed.
Lets show the world who Jesus is and allow him to change peoples hearts. Lets give people opportunities for a better life because that is what we are called to do as children of the God who has blessed us more than we could ask or imagine. Lets live into our call to be kingdom bringers and fishers of men so that we can make disciples of all nations, ages, economic background, race, etc. Lets extend the gospel through offering people choices that have the power to restore.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- I only have a few weeks left here in Ecuador. In less than a month I will be headed to INDIA!!! AHH!
- A few people on my team aren’t fully funded yet. If you feel called to donate to them and allow them to continue the work that the Lord is doing through them and in them, contact me and I will let you know how you can support!
