I saw this quote one day, then I found this picture I took over the summer, and I had to put them together. Love. What is it about love? What is love? Who do we love? How do we love?
In the bible we are commanded: The Love Commandment is Jesus' Commandment to love one another as he has loved us. So that means that we are to love everyone, no matter what. So does that mean that we are to love the person who murdered our loved one? Are we to love those who do awful things to us? Are we to love the unlovable? Well, yes, I think we are. Now I have been blessed to not have to love someone who murdered my child, but I think what it does to someone when you have bitterness in your heart that ruins your life when you can't do anything about it anyways. I know of a young man who caused a car accident that killed a woman, who was in the car with her child. He was young and it was an accident. He is about to get released and at a recent hearing for early release, the woman's father and other family members were there to request that he be released. It was an accident, he is an amazing young man who made a mistake, he has done the time (well almost) and there is nothing that can bring that woman back. I think that is only the love you can have when you have the Holy Spirit in you and in your heart. The flesh usually won't first look to love when there is something awful that has happened.
The other day I was in this man's house. He is 100 years old. That is amazing, especially for here. We went there to hand out water filters so they can filter lake or rain water. They have no running water out where they live. His wife told us when we got there that he was lying down that he didn't feel well. So I stepped over the pig that was right inside the door (I wanted to take the pig home, it was so cute!!) and looked around the almost empty room. There was a bench against one wall and a couple of plastic chairs. The floor was dirt. It was quite tidy. It was sparse. There wasn't much in there. There were a couple of curtains off the main room that I assumed were bedrooms. The whole house could easily fit inside my master bedroom in the states. I felt ugly, gluttonous, ashamed. As we sat and talked he came out of his room. I offered him my seat and went to sit on the nearby bench. He didn't want me to sit there because my back would be in the sun and it would be better for me to be in the shade. I told him "I love the sun, no worries" and sat and listened to them talk about the filters. At the end we prayed, and I held his hands in mine. I prayed for him to know and feel the Holy Spirit. I held onto his hands and I loved him. I would have never done something like this before I moved here. But why? Why wouldn't I hold a stranger's hand?
When I was young I remember a homeless man who lived in the bushes near the intersection near the Ocean Street Docks. There is a park there now (on the left after the Town Hall), but I remember seeing him living there and I went one day to bring him a bag of goodies. Some things to eat and I think maybe I wrote a prayer to him. So I know that I have a heart for those less fortunate.
I recently read Same Kind of Different than Me (one of my all time favorite books) and it opened my eyes to what it is like to be homeless. After I finished the book I was driving through a McDonald's parking lot and I saw a man asking for money. I thought he was smart to be in a McDonald's parking lot because those who wouldn't just give money may add a burger to their drive through order and hand it off as they drove by. I stopped and got out of my car, probably making those in line behind me mad because they had to wait to exit the parking lot to the QT, and handed him a $20 bill and said God Bless You. I have no idea what he is going to do with the money, but it can help him more than it can help me, so it is his to do what he wants. Maybe he does go buy alcohol with it, or cigarettes....it is his money. If by living on the streets it gives him a little skip to his step to have a cigarette, then I can feel that maybe I blessed him that day. Who am I to judge? Does anyone tell me what I can do with my money?
I also recently read Kisses from Katie (amazing story, a must read!!) and she talks about feeling like the work she is doing in Uganda is like a medicine dropper in an ocean. Well I agree here in the DR it can feel that way, or anywhere that there is a lot of work to be done in a lot of areas. What can I really do to make a difference. Well if everyone thought like that, then nothing would ever change and that would be horrible. Iclick here.
I tend to think quantity, but I need to think more about quality. I see Mike discipling a young man named Ezekeil. He spends a lot of time with him. He takes him with him almost every where he goes for ministry. He invests time in him. Now Ezekeil can go out and do his thing and disciple someone else, then they can, and so on. I think they call that Pyramid Marketing :) Spending time depositing love into someone's love tank. Caring for them and their well being. Wanting them to be successful. Maybe even believing in them more than they believe in themselves. It is a gamble some might say, but the potential payoff could be big. What about if you didn't try....then what?
Ezekeil in San Jose in November the day he committed to follow Christ
I am still searching for what I want my ministry to be here. But I know what I think about, and I am becoming aware of needs. Then I can follow my heart, and use my gifts, and do it all for God's glory!
In His Grip,
Jodi
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