“Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and to do good.” Hebrews 10:24
One of the things – (in a long list of “things”) – that I love about working with Servants is their work ethic. I remember the leader on our first assignment telling us to put our hammer down and interact with the homeowner – FIRST. Get to know them – listen to their stories – pray with them. At the time it seemed kind of counterproductive to me. I was always the roll up your sleeves, grab your hammer and don’t stop swinging until the sun goes down kind of gal.
But what I came to realize is that at the end of the day…..more importantly – at the end of our lives – it won’t matter how quickly that roof got fixed. But it will matter whether our hearts are fixed. Our real goal as we go out into the community together is not necessarily to fix the physical needs, but rather to address the spiritual needs THROUGH our acts of love and kindness.
God commanded us in Deuteronomy to address the needs of the poor. Jesus repeated the fact that there will always be someone in need. And as followers of Christ we must address those needs…..whatever they may be.
“If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. For the poor you will always have with you in the land. Therefore, I command you, you shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor in your land.” Deuteronomy 15:7-11
Servants and actionchurch’s main goal through EVERYTHING that we do is to love people. Our love reflects Christ’s love. The people that we are going to serve definitely have physical needs – bathrooms without working plumbing, leaking roofs, rotting foundations. But often, they need a friend, willing to listen. They need a loving, compassionate person willing to pray with them. They need someone to show them that they are loved, cared for and cherished – not only by us, but by God himself.
In the early “church” Jesus’s disciples carried out his commandments literally – and – there were NO needy persons. Poverty was eradicated among them! Can you even imagine a world like that? How could that possibly be?
“There was no one in the group who was in need. Those who owned fields or houses would sell them, bring the money received from the sale, and hand it over to the apostles; and the money was distributed to each one according to his need. “ Acts 4:34-35
THAT’S how it can be.
Are you willing to open your hand? Are you willing to get to know your neighbors in need? Are you willing to be a part of something bigger than yourself?
“Then I said, “Here I am, to do your will, O God…..”Hebrews 10:7