focus on those in need

This past week has been one where I questioned lots of fundamental things that we are passionate about.  I’ve been blessed with more than 20 years of marriage to a great woman, and her parents as well as my parents have each been married over 53 years.  That is a miracle.  Another thing that I have spent a considerable amount of time is thinking about life and how precious life is from conception to dead.

What is really important is not a law or an institution or material possessions.  People are important to God and should be the most important thing in and around our lives.  Ministry is the same.  We cannot allow our focus to be taken off of people and put on any thing else.

Jesus spoke the following words when He was talking about important things that people did:

Matthew 24:34-36  NLT

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.  35 For I was hungry, and you fed me.  I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink.  I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.  36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing.  I was sick, and you cared for me.  I was in prison, and you visited me.’

Those acts of kindness were all, each and every one, directed toward and helping people.  So the question is this: are our effects, our passion and our resources focusing on helping people or on things?  Answer the question.  After you answer the question begin to look around.  I mean really look at what you are doing with all you have.

This week has lots of opportunities for me and the ministry I’m blessed to lead.  We will spend several hours working on the issue of homelessness in our community.  It is our prayer that we will be able to help those who don’t have adequate housing in our community.  We will spend much time on feeding people or sharing food.  Our prayer is that we will be able to feed more hungry people.

Yet in the middle of those things is pain.  There are many, many hurting people.  One hurting person is one too many, and God has called us to focus our resources on hurting people.  By the way and as always, the reason we meet needs is to talk about Jesus.  Focusing on loving and serving people wins us the right to share Jesus.

James 1:27  NLT

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

May our focus be on people.  When hurting people learn how God loves them, the pain changes, and by the way I have been one of those hurting people.  I bet you have as well.