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 serve
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.
going and doing
This kind-of is continuation of my last post on The Testament… I was saying something about there’s plenty I can do in the here and now.
Saturday I found out it’s not that hard to just go and do that (but believe me I’ve struggled in wanting to go but not actually doing it for about a month). Want to see humility and thankfulness? Go here (but not right around when it’s getting dark because they are all leaving or at least they were when I was there). I know I need to go back, if nothing else than to learn what the Beatitudes just might mean. Or any other verse that talks about the poor or the homeless. Funny how we collect stuff that we don’t use for years when someone could actually really use … today:
- That other pair of shoes that you never wear.
- Those pants that aren’t your favorite and haven’t worn in a year or two but are just fine.
- Those sweaters that you for one reason or the other don’t end up wearing all season long.
- That extra food that won’t get eaten because all the family is gone and you will probably end up throwing out but is still perfectly good.
- That jacket given to you from another company you worked at but don’t anymore and just don’t end up wearing.
- Those bags you got from some business conference or won as a “prize” at some training thing
- That long underwear you don’t use because really we live in Virginia and cmon it never gets that cold
- The extra pair of gloves you keep just in case you wear a particular jacket
Funny how we collect stuff sometimes, isn’t it? What was interesting was the guys and gals I talked with almost all asked me what church I’m with. If you’ve read this far, you likely know I do go to a church, but wasn’t doing this on behalf of them. It was just me. Some may say isn’t that dangerous? Maybe. But I’ll tell you I wasn’t scared talking with any of them (except one guy who seemed a bit on the crazy side and someone else agreed he thinks he is too).
