So I want to tell you a story…A few days ago I bought Jesus a pizza because he asked me to.
My squad flew from Malaysia to Guatemala this week. We had a 12 hour layover in Los Angeles, California. About 8 of my squad-mates and I spent the day with a squad-mate whose family lives about an hour from L.A. We went to the Griffith Observatory and saw the city, we drove down Rodeo Drive and Hollywood Boulevard and of course we stopped at Target and the Post Office to mail things home. It was a great day exploring the city.
After eating dinner we walked to an ice cream place and on our way a man asked us for a pizza. None of us had cash on us so we apologized and kept walking. When going back to meet up with our group we had to walk past that same man.
I was walking by with 2 other people, but he said it softly as if he were speaking directly to me.“Hey can you help me get a pizza?” There was something in his voice. I walked past. His voice was the whisper of Jesus saying, “feed my children.”
I got to the next block and I looked at my friends Emily and Anissa and said,” Y’all go ahead, I’m going to buy that man a pizza.” They decided to walk back with me.
I walked up to the man and said, “come on let’s go get a pizza.” We walked into the make-your-own pizza place. We got to the counter and I asked what he wanted. He started to talk then he said, “can you tell them for me? I get nervous talking to some people.” I said sure and then I asked his name. He got nervous and started to walk out of the restaurant. I stopped him and asked what he wanted. He said, “get whatever you think, but get lots of veggies and all the meat.” So he walked outside and I ordered a pizza with lots of veggies and meat.
As we stood in line waiting for the pizza Anissa, Emily, and I speculated that he might be on drugs or have a mental illness. My response to that is I can’t help the choices he makes, but I can love him and give him food to fill his belly. In my mind I was thinking, “what makes this man different from Raju and his family that I gave food to in Nepal?” Nothing. They are both hungry.
If you think this story is about me.. go reread it. If you think this story is about the man I bought the pizza for… go reread it. This story is about how the Holy Spirit daily asks us to feed him, clothe him, and care for him. We just can’t see past the people he uses, to see Him. So we ignore his voice because that man is homeless and on drugs, or that women is mentally ill and talks to herself, or that guy is just dirty and lazy and won’t get a job.
It’s not our responsibility to question others choices, its our responsibility to follow His voice. He knows them better than we do, he can see past what we see, trust Him.
“For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,[a] you were doing it to me!’
Matthew 25:35-40
We don’t give because we have… we give because we love Jesus and we want to follow the whispers of the Holy Spirit.
“Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”
Mark 12:41-44
There are stories all throughout the Bible of people that gave all that they had. Why can’t we be like those people?
Even if we think we have nothing to give, we always do. We may not have money, but we have our time and we have the unique gifts the Lord gave us. However, it’s not about what we give… it’s about being open to let the Holy Spirit use you to glorify God. It’s not about us and it’s not about what we do or who we help. It’s all so that the Lord may be glorified. I pray daily to be more like Jesus and less like me.
We’re doing the thing!
Much love, Carson
