I'm no Good Samaritan. By nature, quite honestly, I'm downright awful. Our first pastor as a married couple coined the nickname "the Christian bulldog" for me. He was joking. I was not. Thank God He's brought me so far from that me. It creeps up. Like yesterday, when I wanted to scream because the plumber couldn't fix the pipe that he broke while we all stood around watching water drench our printer, our legal Documents, and other important, not so important in the big scheme of things, possessions. Thank the Lord I don't have the language yet to make a fool of myself when my old nature wants to creep back in. But that's for another post. My point is that the only good in me is Jesus.
Today, he spoke clearly to my heart while I sat at a posh coffee house studying. A mom and her small son walked by on the other side of the road selling goods trying to make ends meet. "Feed the hungry". I hesitated as all the excuses started to flood my mind... "they'll be gone before you can buy the food. Maybe they're not really hungry. Maybe they'll just sell it and not fulfill their physical need of food. You can't speak the language. You can't help them." But, the spirit urged on. So I gathered my things as fast as I could, bought a lunch, and jumped in the car to catch them. Sure enough, they were pretty far down the road but I caught them! In my horrible language skills I asked if they were hungry. Told them I'd seen them and got them some food. She talked about having some kids in school. Certainly trying to tell me how hard life is and I stumbled through "God loves you. He loves all people. He loves you." While the little boy grinned at me. And then the security guard waved us on since I was still in my car in the middle of the road, and I watched as they walked on and the little boy waved bye. And then. The tears started streaming. Because, guess what, they may go to bed with full tummies tonight but, dag blast it, they'll still die without knowing Jesus. And that's too much to bear. My heart doesn't always break for the lost and dying like it should. Today it did. Today, I didn't leave that situation feeling high and mighty because I'd fed the hungry or listened to the Spirit. I left aching because they don't know my Jesus.
““And I say to you, My friends, don’t fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more. But I will show you the One to fear: Fear Him who has authority to throw people into hell after death. Yes, I say to you, this is the One to fear! Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows!”
Luke 12:4-7 HCSB
-The 4 Cokes
Today, he spoke clearly to my heart while I sat at a posh coffee house studying. A mom and her small son walked by on the other side of the road selling goods trying to make ends meet. "Feed the hungry". I hesitated as all the excuses started to flood my mind... "they'll be gone before you can buy the food. Maybe they're not really hungry. Maybe they'll just sell it and not fulfill their physical need of food. You can't speak the language. You can't help them." But, the spirit urged on. So I gathered my things as fast as I could, bought a lunch, and jumped in the car to catch them. Sure enough, they were pretty far down the road but I caught them! In my horrible language skills I asked if they were hungry. Told them I'd seen them and got them some food. She talked about having some kids in school. Certainly trying to tell me how hard life is and I stumbled through "God loves you. He loves all people. He loves you." While the little boy grinned at me. And then the security guard waved us on since I was still in my car in the middle of the road, and I watched as they walked on and the little boy waved bye. And then. The tears started streaming. Because, guess what, they may go to bed with full tummies tonight but, dag blast it, they'll still die without knowing Jesus. And that's too much to bear. My heart doesn't always break for the lost and dying like it should. Today it did. Today, I didn't leave that situation feeling high and mighty because I'd fed the hungry or listened to the Spirit. I left aching because they don't know my Jesus.
““And I say to you, My friends, don’t fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more. But I will show you the One to fear: Fear Him who has authority to throw people into hell after death. Yes, I say to you, this is the One to fear! Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows!”
Luke 12:4-7 HCSB
-The 4 Cokes
