Posted on my Facebook account Wednesday, November 26, 2008 at 6:18pm
I have been recently reading Henri Nouwen's book "The Only Necessary Thing" about living a prayerful life. It is compiled of his other works and has captivated my attention. The different sections hone in on different aspects such as solitude, belovedness, listening and discipline. The section I am currently working through is the one on belovedness. Here are my thoughts...
God loves us despite our actions and even our thoughts. The prodigal son returned, not with a repentant heart or a desire to be with his father but in hunger for food. This wasn't a metaphor of figure of speech. He was self-centered on getting food into his stomach for survival. His father did not require a pure heart, or a higher motivation just as God's isn't either. "His love was so total and unconditional that he simply welcomed his son home".
God's love does not require any explanation about why we are returning, He is just pleased to se us come home. So shouldn't our short, few years on this Earth be spent telling and showing God how we love him too? YES! It is vital that we care for God in the world.
Jesus came to the world as a baby, weak. He had to be taught to speak and walk, he needed humans so that he could grow. We rsepon to God's love by caring for him in his weakness. He wants to knw if we are there for him. He became vulnerable in the manger and dependent on the cross. He wants us to love him to afirm his love for us. He asked Peter, not once, not twice but three times, "Do you love me?" God gives us a lifetime to respond to that question.
Matthew 25:35-41 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, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit 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? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.'
There are numerous verses throughout scripture in the Old as well as the New Testament calling us to serve the poor, weak, widowed and unclothed. they are still in our presence every single day. We pass them on the street and look the other way, we lock our doors when they ask to wash our windshield, we smile and pretend to talk on our phone when they ask for some spare change, we judge them for how they might spend the few cents we offer them.
Deuteronomy 15:7b "...do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother...".
Time for the application:
No you can't give to all of the needy but you can decide in advance how much you will give, to whom at the beginning of each month or year. Say you decide $100 a year is your decision, purchase 10 $10 giftcards to Subway (the food place not the transportation system) and give those out with a kind word and an offer to pray. This is something they can use to get healthy food and is not likely to be traded for something else (mainly because no one will believe a poor man trying to give up a gift card that could be blank).
When I went to Elim I stayed in Astoria, Queens NYC and we did homeless ministry. One thing I learned that actually surprised me was some people we met said they would trade the food we offered for a clean, dry pair of socks any day. SOCKS! How much is a 12 pack of socks from Target or even TJ Maxx? You can even get creative and use the sock as a giftcard holder.
So maybe you don't want to talk to one of these people... there are plenty of other things you can do. Food pantries are always looking for non-perishable food. A bag of rice, some canned vegetables, a few boxes of spaghetti... It might not seem like a lot to you. In fact, you probably have a few cans of veggies or cream of mushroom soup in your cabinet that you forgot was there until this moment. Why not get a box together with a few items and drop it off at the pantry? Same as a clothing closet. Goodwill is good and the clothes are sold where the money goes toward needy people but there are some clothing closets in communities where families in need are allowed to go in with no money and walk out with a few outfits. I went to a few this summer with some families in Rochester and clean undies, new socks and matching bed sheets were far and few so much so that the volunteer behind the counter had these locked up in a cabinet.
If you want to do something instead of just give because you want to see the effect you actually are having on people, volunteer at a soup kitchen, volunteer to work at a crisis pregnancy center. This is so easy and can even benefit you! If you need a quiet place to study and already wanted to read for 3 hours... head down to one of these places (might need to call first) and just sit there. If you get antsy ask where the windex and broom are and do a little house keeping for the place.
If you are like me you might think "okay so I help one person get food in their stomach and another to have warm feet, this is not enough". Well talk to your neighbors, your library, your kids' class or your church ask them to start collecting new socks, sets of bedding they don't want anymore and this will help tons. Spread the word! They might just want to help also.
If you do decide to hand things to a person in need and offer your prayer also include a list of local churches, shelters, food pantries, soup kitchen and clothing closets. Your 5 minutes of kindness and pair of clean socks may just change someone's life. If they don't want your prayer, wait till they leave you and pray for them anyways.
When we love the poor we are loving God... that is our purpose, that is the reason God created us. Let's Love God in the world!
