I have always had a larger world view than just that of my small town or even my state, but a lot of times it is difficult to think outside of my own country. With age, and some travel which opened my eyes to suffering around the world, I became more and more passionate about global needs. I have been blessed to have had, and continue to have, the experiences of world travel. But, one theme that continues to ring in my ears is this; Where is the evidence of the church at work in the world?
While in Mozambique I had a friend who gave me a prophetic word and then said he felt like the Lord wanted me to have Proverbs 31. For any of you, especially women, who grew up in the church you know that the Prov. 31 woman is amazing. She is everything to everyone, she never tires, she is profitable in her work, and the list goes on. So, as I walked away, I sighed a big “Thanks a lot God, how in the world am I supposed to be her?” After closer study of the text however, I learned a lot of great things about that woman that I had never known before. More importantly though, I read the chapter in its entirety and found text to back up what God has been whispering in my ear for years now.
Proverbs 31:8-9 Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.
My struggle for the last few years is how to reconcile my passion for Christ and my passion for social justice. How does a passionate Christian, who loves because Christ first loved me, go with a secular organization that could possibly quench any talk of why my heart longs to serve? I couldn’t find a balance. As I sought the Lord, He would answer plainly through His word and gentle spirit that His bride has forgotten her job while waiting on His return. Throughout scripture we read where God says to take care of the needy, that they will know us by our love. But are we, as a body, serving those He has called us to serve? Or are we simply seeing body “parts” take an interest in the needs of our neighbors?
In Matthew 25: 34 – 40 God says this will be the measure between the sheep and the goat: “Then the king will say to those on His right. “Come you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.” Then the righteous will answer Him, Lord when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You? The King will answer and say to them, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.”
I am excited to see more and more young adults in the “Christian culture” begin to see the calling God has for us and put their “part” to work for His call. Places like The Simple Way in Philadelphia or the Rutbha House in Durham, NC. These groups are made up of Christians who serve because they have God’s heart for the needy. They live among the needy. They open their homes to the homeless if they have an extra bed; they give a meal to the hungry when they have enough for two meals, sometimes they give even if they don’t have enough. I heard a story about Mother Teresa and why her feet were mangled and deformed. A nun who worked closely with M.T. said that every time the ministry in Calcutta got a donation of shoes M.T. would search through the bag first and pull out the worst pair of shoes for herself. Her feet were deformed because she chose to have God’s heart and give the best to her neighbors while she took the leftovers. I can just see Mother Teresa now, running through the streets of heaven with her whole and healthy body; I am sure she is running on perfect feet and she probably has on a perfect pair of shoes too, but I doubt she has even taken the time to look at them. She is too busy looking at her beautiful Father’s face.
My heart cries out from its depths that I want to have deformed feet for my Father. I want to be so in love with my Jesus that I see every need that surrounds me and I give up my best to fulfill those needs. It is not a comfortable place I am coming from. Honestly, as I think about what that might mean for my life I am uncomfortable and my flesh fights hard to be heard. But, my heart and life are His to do with what He pleases. He gives me life and breath and I want to be desperate for Him and pursue His purposes in the time He has given me on this earth. I also cry out for a continued awakening of my generation within the church, that we would all catch hold of this wind of God’s Holy Spirit that blows us where He chooses, to do what He wills. We will truly see this world come to a place of passionate revival when the church regains her position as outspoken advocate for the least of these. When we as a WHOLE BODY pursue justice for the world the hungry will be fed, the naked will be clothed, the lonely will have a friend, and we will all look a lot more like our Father than we ever have before.
