I had the privilege of spending the weekend in Chicago Illinois. My friend Anthony and his wife Andrea just recently moved there. Anthony is the new Worship Arts Pastor at a church in Downers Grove. The message was based on 1 Peter 1:6-9 and was called The Value of Proven Faith. I decided that if the speaker would have said the “proof is in the pudding” I was going to walk out. JK. (For those of you that don’t attend Ginghamsburg that was in a message a few weeks ago).
Also I need to confess my heart hardness. While walking on the streets in Chicago there was a man that had a sign asking for money with a cup in front of it. The sign even ended with God Bless You. I have been to Haiti a few times and I’ve been to enough large cities that I have seen a lot of homeless beggars. Even in Troy, Ohio I’ve seen it. I felt nothing and to be honest I don’t even think I saw him. I didn’t feel anything and wouldn’t have thought anymore about it if it weren’t for Anthony. We went back and Anthony told the man we were going to the store and asked him if he needed anything. The man asked for deodorant and orange juice. Anthony even asked if he had a tooth brush and a few other things. The man replied that he had everything else; all he needed was deodorant and orange juice. That is all he needed.
I prayed, “God, you need to soften me.” I’ve been around to much to not even notice these things any more. I have another story of my heart hardness from this trip, But I’ll spare you for now.
"There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land." Deut. 15:11
"He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God." (Prov. 14:31)
To make it even worse, I was talking about this very topic to our college group last Thursday. I was talking about service, not just over seas or in the gulf, or even in our own church. We talked about serving those around us and in our communities. One of the guys said he doesn’t like giving money away to people with signs at the interstate exits. I gave them all some advice that I myself have gotten away from. I use to always have at least five dollars of gift certificates with me, from McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy’s, somewhere, to give them. God was speaking through me but I completely missed it myself.
Yes, I know that some of these people are con artist and some really don’t need your help. But, some do. And to quote a country song… “What if he's an angel sent here from heaven. And he's making certain that you're doing your best to take the time to help one another. Brother are you going to pass that test?”
I have been praying for God to help me. To help my hardened heart. To break my heart of stone. To recognize when I need to step up to the plate. To be an agent of change in this kingdom, the Kingdom of God.
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