We talked as we worked, since the job itself didn't require too much concentration. Mostly I was in conversation with my friend and the counselor, and the students talked amongst themselves. At one point when my friend was describing something about how the food distribution usually works (it was everyone else's first time), one of the high school girls said that her mom comes here. My friend asked, Oh is she a regular volunteer? No, the girl replied, my mom comes here.
Her mom & family benefit from Project SHARE's food distribution, and here she was helping make it possible for all of the others that benefit as well. I thought it was pretty cool- and humbling as well.
Later that day I was reading in 1 John 3, and came across these verses:
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
These are some pretty powerful verses. They challenge us- are we truly loving others? Do we just say nice things or are we actually taking action to help people in need? These days love is presented as an emotion, feeling. In reality, true love is action. We do not always feel like loving people. However, that does not change the fact that we are to love.
We are to love "in deed and in truth". What does that really mean? James 2:15-17 says:
If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So faith, without works, is dead.
It is clear from this verse- if we see a need, we are supposed to respond. If it is a material need that we are capable of meeting, we are to meet it materially. When I read these verses- given the position I'm in with fundraising- I can't help but identify with these verses as a person in need. Whether I like it or not- I am in need. Monetarily. On one hand, I don't like it at all, on another- I get to meet great people and see the body of Chirst at work. I am partnered with people all over the country and world. It is an amazing feeling when you really think about how you are part of something bigger than you can comprehend that crosses geographic and cultural and all sorts of other lines (I had one of those moments today).
Even though in a way, I am one of the persons in need, I can still give. I can give in deed. For example, I can give time and energy (I was made a cart pusher last Thursday, I'm pretty sure primarily because of my youth) to Project SHARE, who feed about 1,000 people a month with their food distribution. I can give in truth. I can tell people about Jesus.
These are just a couple examples- there are all sorts of needs that people have that we can meet. My mother has often been a word of encouragement to those going through rough times with cards and letters she sends. She has also met physical and emotional needs through making high quality (have you had her chicken cutlets?) home cooked meals for people who are undergoing difficult family situations. As everyone has different needs, everyone is gifted in different ways in how they can meet others' needs.
I'm not saying I'm always good at doing these things, because I certainly am not, but I feel the push of these verses to do better- think more about what it means to really love in deed and in truth, and do it. Not letting the thinking take more time than the doing. I present this challenge to you too- are you loving people in deed and in truth? Jesus did. Are you following Him?
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