“When you can’t tell them about Jesus, BE Jesus to them.”
a mother from Firststep
I was sitting on the porch of our apartment the other day when this thought came to my mind. I had been struggling a bit as to what we are actually DOING here in Ukraine, and this just totally changed my thinking.
If you have been reading my blogs, I am sure you know my passion to tell the lost about Jesus. Well, here in Ukraine, most everyone seems to speak Russian. Nobody knows English. Even though we are in a place that looks so much like America and is filled with other white people (remember, we have been in Africa and Asia for the past nine months), it is NOT America. It was actually easier to converse with people in the remote villages of Rwanda than it is here. Yes, there are translators sometimes, but when there aren’t any, what then? HOW can I tell them about Jesus? HOW can I even say ANYTHING to them?
But when this thought came to my mind, I realized I was limiting God. I do not have to SAY anything. My actions alone can point to Christ.
So how can I BE JESUS to those around me?
Is smiling at someone being Jesus to them?
Is buying someone food being Jesus to them?
Is eating with someone being Jesus to them?
Is playing a game with someone being Jesus to them?
Is just sitting with someone as they watch a movie being Jesus to them?
(I sure hope so because this is what we do at Firststep every day!)
All I know is that Jesus did say, “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40)
So, on Friday, I decided I needed to BE JESUS to an older woman that begs on the streets of Odessa. We pass her everyday on our way to Firststep, and she just kneels on the ground, arms outstretched, begging for help, begging for hope. Her eyes look so sad, so vacant. She NEEDS the love of Jesus. I just didn’t know how to show that to her.
On the way to Firststep, I sped up a bit. I had to get to her. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, but I had to do something. I had already passed up this woman several times, and the Holy Spirit was DEFINITELY nudging me.
But, once I reached her, I still had no clue what to do. I had nothing to give her, no way to speak to her.
So, I passed her.
Once again, I walked right by.
“On the way back I will do something,” I thought.
When the girls all decided to purchase team drinks, I asked if I could just keep my money instead of buying something. I saw some yummy pastries that were cheap, big, tasty looking, and probably filling. I would buy those for the woman on the way back.
While in Firststep, I also made sure to pick up a tract to give to the woman.
So, after hanging out with the homeless children at Firststep and taking a tract, I ran into the store to purchase the pastries.
With my pastries and tract in hand, I was on a mission!!
When I finally reached the woman, I reached down and handed her the pastries.
“She is going to be so happy!!” I thought.
But, what is the first thing she did?
She pointed to her teeth . . . . or lack of teeth.
COULD SEE EVEN EAT THE FOOD I HAD BOUGHT HER??
I then pulled out the tract.
“Yesus lubit teba.” (“Jesus loves you!”)
I pointed at the tract and pointed to the sky.
And what did she point at?
She pointed at her eyes.
COULD SHE EVEN SEE????
Oh brother, this could be a total disaster.
I opened the tract and pointed at the pictures, but once again she pointed at her eyes.
So, what do you do when your plans are a possible flop? You pray.
Placing my hand on her shoulder, I prayed for this woman.
And by the end, she really looked touched. She even signed herself, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit style.
I knew she did not know what I had prayed, but I did know this: she knew that somebody cared.
And even if the pastries were never eaten and the tract was never read, I had BEEN JESUS to her.
Throughout the streets of Odessa, there are many beggars and orphans. There are many people that need the love of Christ. Now that I have realized it isn’t just about TELLING people about Jesus, I want to make sure my eyes are open so that I can BE JESUS to as many of them as I can before my time is up.
There is one woman in a long black dress I always see after we pass the mall. She walks around in a huff, swearing under her breath, and there are bruises under her eyes.
How can I BE JESUS to her? Can I buy her flowers or ice cream and give her a hug to show someone cares?
There is another woman who likes to feed the pigeons that I always see when I run through the park. Every time I run by, she looks vehemently at me and yells something in Russian, probably to leave and not make her pigeons fly away with my footsteps.
How can I BE JESUS to her? Can I buy her food for her pigeons or a treat that she can eat? Can I sit by her and show her she is loved?
There is a girl at Firststep that I see most days we are there. She has many cuts on her arms due to many hopeless nights filled with alcohol and cutting.
How can I BE JESUS to her? Can I sit by her each day at lunch and draw her a picture to show her I care?
There is a boy at Firststep that I see each day, and he never speaks and never wears a shirt. He has a big scar on his side because he had a kidney removed to make money.
How can I BE JESUS to him? Can I sit by him when we watch movies and pray for full healing of his body?
How can I BE JESUS to these people?
Wherever you go, whatever you do, you can BE JESUS in this dark world!
It isn’t just about the words you say. It it about what you do.
Keep shining with the light of the true light, my friends! 🙂
