FAMILY MISSION
Sarah Sloan
Today's Scripture: “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?” James 2:15-16, ESV
Theme: Taking the Bible seriously means living it out and helping hurting people.
ON THE ROAD
A few years ago, our family of six began travelling around the country full-time to pursue family time, experiences over excess, and adventures over the mundane. But before we began our trip, we discussed as a family how important it was to not only seek God daily but to also find ways to serve Him through our actions. We knew that this might be a struggle because we wouldn’t be interacting with the same people on a daily or weekly basis or attending and serving in the same church each weekend. My husband called our family to action by giving us a family mission of “daily looking for ways to love others better and meet needs.”
LOSING FOCUS
In the beginning, we were laser-focused on that mission and had several of what we started referring to as “woman at the well’ interactions. They were spontaneous: we were on the lookout for needs; we prayed with strangers; we found ways to meet those needs. But it sure didn’t take long for the busyness associated with constant traveling, homeschooling, and working remotely to slowly shift our focus. We were only a few weeks into our trip, and everything was solely focused on us and getting to our next destination.
THE LEAST OF THESE
I clearly remember walking around San Antonio, Texas, and trying to map out as many educational and cultural experiences we could cram into a 24-hour period. We were hot, exhausted, and stressed, trying to get to our next destination, when we passed by a bench where a homeless person was sleeping. As we walked towards the bench, I sighed with relief upon realizing we were passing a statue and not an actual homeless person, begging for money or smelling like alcohol. I didn’t want to have to explain that to my children. That momentary gut reaction was a mirror into my heart. I felt it but ignored the gentle tug.
Nearing the bench, I saw the statue’s uncovered feet. They were bleeding and were pierced. The entire statue, except for the feet, were covered up with a blanket as the unknown “homeless person” huddled, sleeping, on the bench. Above the statue, in the wall of the church, were carved these words, “‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’” (Matthew 25:40, NIV)
That small tug, that gentle whisper became a wail and a plead. I stood on that street feeling such conviction. How many needs had I passed by, trying to shield my children instead of trying to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ? How many opportunities had I missed to serve Jesus Himself by loving others and meeting needs? We stopped, talked, and regrouped as a family. We asked God to continue to show us how to love others better and meet their needs.
MEETING JESUS
Within a block, we passed a homeless woman who, even from far away, began speaking kind words over our family. This woman shared from a distance, saying that she thought our family was lovely and that we were blessed. Of course, God had already gotten our attention earlier, so we stopped and welcomed her into the nearest store, which happened to be a Starbucks. We bought her lunch and talked with her about her life and how she had suffered with the death of her young child. We talked about the hardships of the street. We saw her and tried to heap love on her for the few moments we had. In my mind, I will never know if God had us pass that statue to prepare our hearts for running into that woman who needed a little love and a listening ear. Or maybe we entertained an angel? Either way, I know in that moment, we served Jesus Himself a meal and offered Him a listening ear.
KEEP LOOKING
Since then, we have had opportunities to talk to others who have lost loved ones. We have been able to provide gift cards for food and toys for children where we saw needs. We have also missed a million opportunities to love well, but we are learning to ask God more and more to show us how we can daily “love others better and meet needs.” When we take the Bible seriously and help hurting people, we not only become more like Jesus, but we experience the joy and peace of Jesus. We are transformed and satisfied from the inside out in a way no hot meal, toy, or warm clothes ever could satisfy us.
Make It Personal: Are you looking for ways to serve Jesus through “the least of these” or too busy, too nervous, too scared of that interaction? Ask God what He thinks of your current course of action (or inaction). Allow the Spirit to guide you and direct you. Then do what is before you. Don’t just say it and don’t just pay it. As James says, “give them the things needed for the body.” Be the answer to someone’s prayer...and you are serving Jesus in that moment.
Pray: God, give us hearts of compassion and eyes to see. Help our love for You to be poured out as love for others. In Your Name I pray. Amen.
Read: Matthew 25:34-40, 45; James 1:27; Proverbs 3:27-28
Weekly Memory Verse: “Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.” Proverbs 14:31, ESV