Show me the path where I should walk, O Lord
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. I trust in You, my God! Show me the path where I should walk, O Lord Point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me for You are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in You. Remember O Lord your unfailing love and compassion which you have shown from long ages past. Forgive the rebellious sins of my youth…Archive for love
a house of love and hope?
In catching up reading some of my blogs in my reader, I read across a lot from Flower Dust and her visit to India with Compassion International. It got me thinking though of places past that I’ve known where situations are similar. Can’t really say a lot of places exist like that in the US and then I remembered the single year I lived in Venezuela. And that one food drive my class did at the American international school I attended.
I remember loading up some trucks and our class (which was only 10-15 teens … that was when I was in 11th grade for the first time) and actually going out to a village. We handed out the food. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s all about the relationships!
Listening to God’s Word versus living God’s Word … or going to church versus being the church … served versus serve. Mark 10:45 makes it clear:
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Serving others and through that, loving others. Read the rest of this entry »
to be a neighbor
The past few months though there’s really been something pretty awesome between us and a neighbor. It started with their daughter (who’s a few years older than our oldest) hanging out with our kids playing around inside and out. Sometimes eating dinner with us, too. A few months ago, my wife started talking more and more with her mother; and just recently I’ve been getting to know her dad too. Past few weeks we’ve spent several hours working on cutting down trees, moving leaves, and just talking. [Another neighbor started working on their yard a LOT, which got me re-energized ... which this neighbor said energized him to do some stuff as well]
This past Friday they watched our kids for the night, and we had a night out. Last night we had their daughter over to spend the night as well.
Sometimes I’ve felt odd knowing people really well when I can’t say I feel the same with those that live near me. Why is that? I can recall when I was a kid that our family knew quite well a few families near us; I know my wife and her parents are close with their neighbors as well. I’m thankful to have had this opening, this opportunity.
I’m aware that neighbor simply means ‘one leaving near another’, but I’ve always thought that it should mean more. I read Jesus ask the question “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor …?” with regards to the story of the Good Samaritan and wonder if it doesn’t imply that being a neighbor means more than just living near another… clearly most know of the verse that says to “Love your neighbor as yourself” …
I don’t think loving them in the way that I think of loving my family is exactly appropriate, just as I don’t think loving other men is the same. So what is it?
- Caring about them (knowing what they are going through)
- Helping when in need (might be as simple as sharing sugar/milk or much more)
- be together (share dinner, hang out, etc.)
- be encouraging
- be honest
I think of the community mentioned in the Bible; the one body of believers; the church. I’m sure all of this applies to the church but doesn’t my neighbor too?
Our time might be short. Things might change.
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
exhilarated!
Yesterday (see note at bottom) was talking with my neighbor about a few things. For awhile I’ve been slowly working on the backyard and have mentioned before that I have plans to build a tree house (plans have changed… currently the plan is the renovate the existing but old clubhouse and expand it a bit… and at a later time, build a little tower-like lookout tree house on the tree beside the clubhouse). But I have moved a lot of leaves back, and cleaned up a bit. This, coupled with a new neighbor substantially working on his backyard, had him exhilarated. Re-energized. Motivated. He’s already cut down a few trees he has wanted to do for a few years (and I got him to come over and cut down a few of mine too… hey I don’t have a chainsaw but he does and he offered).
serve –> love –> joy –> Christ
UPDATE: check out the GTI ‘volunteer training manual’ as well!
NOTE: Apparently my new frequent blogging style is to read some little ‘thing’ from someone else’s posts, and blog about them… like this. Oh well…
Two points stood out for me when I read Creating communities of grace:
(5) Eat and drink with broken people
The Son of Man who receives all authority in Daniel 7 comes eating and drinking (Luke 7:34). Jesus eats and drinks with sinners. It’s a powerful expression of community. We think we are enacting grace if we work among the poor, if we serve them. But we are only half way there. It is not really grace because we still act from a position of superiority. We think we are humble when we serve. But we have missed the dynamic that is going on. What we really proclaim is that we are able and you are unable. I can do something for you, but you can do nothing for me. Think how different the dynamic is when we sit and eat with someone. We meet as equals. We share together. We behave as friends. We affirm one another and enjoy one another.
(7) Focus on the heart
What’s your agenda for change? All too often we focus on behaviour. We can list the behaviours we would like someone to stop or start. But Jesus says our behaviour comes from the heart (Mark 7:20-23). Our focus needs to be on the heart. Our job is to help people love God and treasure Christ. In Philippians 1 Paul says the aim of his ministry among them is their joy (1:25-26). He wants them to find joy in Christ – only then will people turn from the pleasures of sin. I do need to describe a life that pleases God. But my job is not to go round telling people to reform their lives or change their behaviour. My job is help people find joy in Christ.
Jesus – I pray that our adventure in serving with those around Richmond who are without a home or are poor be less about me and more about You. May we all recognize our humble roles and not as superiors. May we get to know those we meet *as friends* not acquaintances. May we not focus on what they ‘need to do’ and instead just love them where they are at … to find joy in Christ.
