Each
year on this date across the United States HUD (the government’s Housing and
Urban Devolvement department) asks local groups that deal with homelessness to
count homeless people in their jurisdictions.
This is something that I have been helping with the last few years.
I have
met some of the greatest friends when we have been searching for homeless
people in our community. Because we live
in a small town with no homeless shelters it can be hard to locate these
special people during the coldest part of the year. The recent snow and chilly weather will make
it even harder.
There
is a survey that we use to capture information about this group of people. It has lots of useful information so we can
help more people find what they need. As
you know I am convinced that God called our church to minister to, to serve and
share truth with hurting people, and this is one group of people that each
person has specific needs we can help with.
Yet I
sit back each year and every time I interact with a homeless friend and realize
again and again that every body counts.
Every person is important to God.
He created each one of us with a huge amount of worth and value. It is important, it is critical that we share
this fact and even convince the people around us that they are loved by God and
have worth in this world.
The
way we interact with people says a lot about us. The way that we give ourselves to serve
others says a lot about who believe is important. Literally every body counts, and we are the
ones that God gave the ability to let people know they are worthy.
1 John 4:7 NLT
Dear friends,
let us continue to love one another, for love
comes from God. Anyone who loves
is a child of God and knows God.
Psalm 139:16 NLT
You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment
was laid out before a single day
had passed.
We know, dear
brothers and sisters, that God loves
you and has chosen you to be his own people.
Jude 1:1 NLT
This letter
is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James. I am writing to
all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps
you safe in the care of Jesus
Christ.
Ephesians 1:3 NLT
All praise to
God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms
because we are united with Christ.
Jeremiah 29:11 NLT
For I know
the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for
disaster, to give you a future
and a hope.
Every
body counts to God. We can make a
difference one person at a time to help the people we meet believe this
fact. Value comes from God. That’s why every body counts!
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