"You are only one. I am gathering an army." - You are just one in the army. In this battle we are fighting, we are not called to focus on the masses, but on the one who already overcame. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.'' - John 16:33 It is a battle where we fight alongside the person next to us.The one person God has put in our path. Just that one. We can't fix people. Only God can restore, but we can live out-loud,love,and show up.... You will be known for showing up. We can be the change we wish to see in the world not because of our capability, but because of our willingness to show up and be present in the lives of the wounded. Be a light in the face of darkness. We are not the Savior, but we are who they see.. And through us they will see Him. Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you. ― Mother Teresa God answers prayers. ''He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.'' Psalms 147:3 Last week as I flew out of San Jose. Looking down over the city... so many buildings and people. A few of their stories have wrecked my life. They've changed my world...my goals. The last time I was in San Jose I received a gift. And I met four people all with different stories. And I was reminded again, that prayer is awesome and we have a good Father. -To the girl who changed the course of my future. My prayer on the bus was that if you were still alive that God would lead you to me. My taxi drove up to the park. You were literally across the street from me and walking in my direction. You were not steady on your feet. I got out of the taxi. I was weak, not steady on my feet either because this is the second time God answers my prayer and you walk right up to me. I said your name. You look up and I smile, and you tear up. I ask if you remember me after two years. Your tears answer my question. You tell me you need to go.. You hug me and put your hand on my cheek and smile through your tears. You have kind eyes and a beautiful soul. I tell you I'll be at the park if you want to go out for coffee later on. You walk away, across the park to the building that tells the stories of broken dreams, lives searching for meaning, for love, and acceptance.... "His purpose for us is much greater then our purpose for us." There was a man sitting in the park, on the park bench across from me. He asked a few questions because he heard me speaking Spanish. Then he went on to tell me about his family's history.Then he said " Girl, as Christians we think life is complicated, but it's not about us.. we don't see through a birds eye. You know, maybe someday you will hug a prostituted girl, someone addicted to drugs, or a homeless person.... And they are going to walk away. And maybe you will never know the impact you have made. But you don't see the big picture or how God can use your hug." He didn't know the war going on inside my heart..Having just seen my friend walk across the street to the brothel. He also said that Christians need to wake up. He quoted the verse when Stephen was being stoned...- ''Lord Jesus receive my spirit." He fell to His knees, shouting, '' Lord, don't charge them with this sin." .. Then He said ''If we would stand up to the truth, and be willing to love and forgive like Stephen did..The world would change." Girl, right about that time you came back. As we walked to the cafe I had this crazy grin on my face because I had never been more honored or excited about going out for coffee with one of my friends. And yet as I ordered my coffee all eyes were on me. Humanity labeled me as crazy. Sometimes I label me as crazy, but this was not one of those days. I was so honored to have coffee with you. You chose the table smack in the middle of the cafe. And humanity labeled you as low. I hope you know you are more. You are incredibly magnificent, you are an unrepeatable miracle. As we sat there you told me parts of your story...You told me that the building across the park is not what it's cut out to be, that there are no words that would describe it. Girl, you are only six years older then I am. You ask me a question, and then you said something that ripped me apart. You asked " Girl, do you know what it's like for a man to really love you?" Then you said."I can only think of one man who might have loved me...'' Someone who made you feel safe. And my heart blows up because I remember that you also quoted, " I have had sex with hundreds of men but do not know the meaning of true love." We sat at the table, you had tears running down your face. I hold your hand. And Ann Voscamp said it well today. " I hold her and sometimes it is best to re-break so you can heal right." And my heart was hurting so bad. Because I want to make it better. I want to make your pain go away. "God’s mercies are new every morning — not as an obligation to you, but as an affirmation of you." - Ann Voscamp - To the waitress at the coffee shop. I'm sorry if I made your life complicated. And I'm sorry I wanted to bust your face in for the way you looked at my friend. You made her cry. And I don't get angry easy. But you have no idea.,. Inside, behind the smile you saw, my coffee was in your face. Because of the way my friend was labeled she didn't want to stay and finish her coffee. But not until later did I really think of the verse the man at the park had quoted. ''Lord, don't charge them with this sin." And I know you weren't stoning me, but the way you looked at me.It sure felt like it. And then it hit me again, ''We all have fallen short of the glory of God."... I was angry at you, and as far as I'm concerned that's just as bad as stoning you. I'm sorry I was a brat. And I'm sure the coffee was amazing, although I don't remember tasting it. But that wasn't your fault. - Little girl, you came running up to me at the park.Your eyes were huge and you were grinning like crazy. I panicked because I couldn't remember your name. I knew your face but couldn't place it...and clearly you knew me! And then it hit me. You rapped for us the other night. I was glad you did not remember my name. It made me smile when you said that if you ever have a little girl you would name her after me. You opened my eyes to something I knew.. but you took it to a new level. Life on the streets is about survival and it's all about trust and relationships. And they both take time and work. You sat down on the bench with me and asked me when we are coming out for pizza again. I tell you I don't know but we plan on doing it again soon.. Then I saw it go over your face, and you tell me something that makes me go cold..." You didn't know it, but that night that you guys brought Pizza, I was living on the streets. That day they had kicked me out of my house." You tell me you are home again and things are going better. You are sixteen... And I remember that night in the park. There was pizza every where. And you were one of the few girls among so many young guys. Then you did something that I didn't understand at first. You gave me your bible and said I could borrow it until the next time I see you. At first I hesitated. In my mind I'm thinking... "I should be the one giving. And what if I don't see you again?'' But then I realized that you needed to know if you can trust me.. Because if I bring it back to you. Maybe I'm honest... You ask me what my favorite Psalm is.. I tell you. I asked you what yours was. And its beautiful. And right on. You looked at me with question in your eyes and you tell me, "I know God loves me. Even now, He loves me.." He does. He loves you so much child. 'He's a God who only makes originals.' You are loved...chosen. Even on dark nights when you are alone. He loves you, always loves you. You gave me a gift that I will always love. And it proved to me that small actions done with love aren't small... We sat on the floor of the dome. You showed me your stamp collection, then you picked one out for me. You look right at me and tell me you want to give me a gift. It's small, old, and used...But it's beautiful. You gave what you had with love. And it's awesome. The man at the park. He said that often we don't reach out and be the change because we don't feel strong enough or good enough. Someone else could do a better job, right? Lately someone quoted '' What matters is why are we doing this, the answer is Jesus. You can't do it. Only He can.'' Sometimes we look at ourselves as that stamp, and if we only focus on what we see.. It's dirty, old, used, and messed up. But we are more. Our true value lies in someone who went to the cross and back..and in Him we are new,loved, and strong enough....Through Him we can be the change. ''Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired.'' Mother Teresa
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