Don’t be misled by the title, because in actuality, “helping” in Jesus’ name is hard. Don’t be fooled by a World Racer’s mission, because in actuality, we are human and need to be filled up to the brim before we can keep serving and loving.
The real heroes are ones who give up their entire lives to serve the Lord even when life just sucks sometimes.
Injustice is hard to witness. Loving a homeless family with an alcoholic father who only cares about cigarettes and liquor is hard. Hearing this dad cuss in your face when you simply want to dance and play with his innocent daughter is hard. When you offer a free place with free food for this family and they still prefer begging for money, is hard. Picking up my dear Bonita (the daughter) and she hurrying back down out of fear to her dad, is hard. Why can’t she see her dad is just using her to beg? Why can’t she leave to be with the missionaries that really care? Why won’t they allow us to love on them this way?
To witness this family’s life is hard on my heart. This man, Bim, will beat his daughter if she disobeys him. He will literally tell her “go out, say your father is ill, and ask for money.” She automatically transitions into a little street girl pointing to her mouth, asking for money. And where does this money go to? It goes straight to her dad for alcohol. There’s nothing I can do to fix this. I am no hero on this trip. All I really can do is just love, even when an angry man cusses at your face. Man, it’s hard to love this man.
The World Race is hard. No, living in an unfair world is hard. The mission for World Racers is to love, but no one prepared me for all the hurt that comes along with it. I will never be able to “fix” the world or save all the little children, but there is one thing we are all called to do as believers and it really is to simply love. “This is the message we heard from the beginning: We should love one another. . . Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our neighbors. Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:11, 13, 18).
So if you are one with a heavy heart from the work it takes to keep on moving, and if you are one who wants to see redemption win and to see struggle end, you are not alone.
The two emotions that refocus my mind and heart are compassion and gratitude. (Thanks to my mom–she sent me this devotional via email at the perfect time):
1) Compassion.
Compassion for the broken. Compassion toward those whose wounds were self-inflicted. Compassion for the hardened man whose jagged edges are causing hurt to others. Not excuses. Not a free pass. Not inaction. But an empathy for the person who aches. Some call it solidarity or a deep understanding that we were made to not only love God but to love each other. When I am vulnerable enough to accept my pain instead of pretend that it doesn’t exist, my compassion toward others grows and I become softer and stronger at the same time.
2) Gratitude.
Gratitude to the One who heals. To the One who seeks to restore the shattered. Gratitude to a loving and just God who is the only one with enough power to repair the damaged vessel. Gratitude to Jesus who allowed the outside world to break Him but did not allow those breaks to undermine His power, love, and authority. When I stand in awe of God for who He is and how vast He loves, I am overcome by thankfulness to belong to the most Holy of Holies and I am able to trust in Him for healing.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.” {Psalm 147: 3-5, NIV}
