On Sunday the 28th of January I went with a group of ten to hand out blankets on the streets of Orlando. We had no real game plan other than we wanted to love others like Christ loves us.
Before embarking on this mission we ran into all the stereotypical warnings. I want to address one of these warnings before I go any farther. I was told to cut the tags off the blankets so they couldn't be returned to buy "less than desirable items". These words have been ringing in my ears like a lowrider with a cheap stereo. Who in the heck am I to judge what they do with these blankets? Has God not blessed me in countless ways and yet I continue to waste and misuse his blessings? We are so quick to judge those we find fault with but walk around with a telephone pole in our eyes. Then we ask "why does the world judge us so harshly".
Now comes the point of my story. We meet all kinds of people. Young & old. All different colors. But what we did not meet were any that were rude. None that were ungrateful. They didn't judge us. We ran out of oranges way too early but they didn't get upset with us. (Unlike the line at church when we run out of coffee.) They were just thankful! I want to tell you the story about one young man. He appeared to be in his late twenties and carried a black backpack. I approached him with a blanket and a couple of oranges in my hand. I greeted him and offered him a blanket. He refused my blanket. He didn't want a larger one or a different color. He already had one. I tried to insist he take it but I had no luck. He explained he had a blanket in his bag and he would rather me be able to give it to someone who didn't have one. I was speechless. This man who could fit all of his belongings into a backpack refused my brand new blanket in order to make sure someone else could stay warm.How different is this from the world I live in. I have seen adults get in physical fights for the latest fad at Christmas time. I see people competing to get more stuff. You place free books on a table and grown men will gather as much as they can carry rather they will use them or not. Seen people wrestle each other to the ground over a free t-shirt. All of these people claim to be Christians. Yet a man with all of his belongings in a backpack gives up a blanket to ensure someone else will get one?We read in the Bible how if we have two shirts and see someone without we give them one of ours but I saw it. We read the Beattitudes and don't quite connect with them. When I say I found Jesus in an unusual place this is what I was referring to. We go to church and put on our shirt and tie looking for Jesus but we walk by Him every other day. I saw Luke 3:11 lived out in front of me. We see in Dueteronomy 15 we have a responsibility to help those in need. We pray for them and donate thru corporations to them but we are afraid to be with them. It's as if poverty is a deadly virus we might get if we come in contact with them. The only thing we are gonna catch is a glimpse of the kingdom of God.
My hopes are to do this again in the near future and allow this to become a part of my life. This is not some sort of experience to allow myself to feel better. This is a result growing in my relationship and understanding of Christ. Let me be known for the deeds I do not the labels we wear.
God is Love!
Before embarking on this mission we ran into all the stereotypical warnings. I want to address one of these warnings before I go any farther. I was told to cut the tags off the blankets so they couldn't be returned to buy "less than desirable items". These words have been ringing in my ears like a lowrider with a cheap stereo. Who in the heck am I to judge what they do with these blankets? Has God not blessed me in countless ways and yet I continue to waste and misuse his blessings? We are so quick to judge those we find fault with but walk around with a telephone pole in our eyes. Then we ask "why does the world judge us so harshly".
Now comes the point of my story. We meet all kinds of people. Young & old. All different colors. But what we did not meet were any that were rude. None that were ungrateful. They didn't judge us. We ran out of oranges way too early but they didn't get upset with us. (Unlike the line at church when we run out of coffee.) They were just thankful! I want to tell you the story about one young man. He appeared to be in his late twenties and carried a black backpack. I approached him with a blanket and a couple of oranges in my hand. I greeted him and offered him a blanket. He refused my blanket. He didn't want a larger one or a different color. He already had one. I tried to insist he take it but I had no luck. He explained he had a blanket in his bag and he would rather me be able to give it to someone who didn't have one. I was speechless. This man who could fit all of his belongings into a backpack refused my brand new blanket in order to make sure someone else could stay warm.How different is this from the world I live in. I have seen adults get in physical fights for the latest fad at Christmas time. I see people competing to get more stuff. You place free books on a table and grown men will gather as much as they can carry rather they will use them or not. Seen people wrestle each other to the ground over a free t-shirt. All of these people claim to be Christians. Yet a man with all of his belongings in a backpack gives up a blanket to ensure someone else will get one?We read in the Bible how if we have two shirts and see someone without we give them one of ours but I saw it. We read the Beattitudes and don't quite connect with them. When I say I found Jesus in an unusual place this is what I was referring to. We go to church and put on our shirt and tie looking for Jesus but we walk by Him every other day. I saw Luke 3:11 lived out in front of me. We see in Dueteronomy 15 we have a responsibility to help those in need. We pray for them and donate thru corporations to them but we are afraid to be with them. It's as if poverty is a deadly virus we might get if we come in contact with them. The only thing we are gonna catch is a glimpse of the kingdom of God.
My hopes are to do this again in the near future and allow this to become a part of my life. This is not some sort of experience to allow myself to feel better. This is a result growing in my relationship and understanding of Christ. Let me be known for the deeds I do not the labels we wear.
God is Love!
