(Take a look at this picture again and make sure you’re seeing what you’re seeing.)
I can hardly believe it! Today is the last day of school before Thanksgiving break! Father, may my mind continually go to You and how greatly You have blessed me, for You truly deserve the praise!
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
Driving my route this morning, I saw a sight that saddened my heart. There is a home – if you can call it that – it is a very old trailer with a ramshackle addition attached to the front and dumped in the yard are all kinds of things – shelves, a couch – just a pile of this and that…things that belong (or maybe belonged) to someone. I don’t know who they are. I saw a gentleman mowing part of the area at the beginning of the school year but I’m not sure if he lived there or the equally high-quality residence next door.
To my knowledge, they are both rentals and the kind of rentals that are usually occupied by those who are having a difficult time. They may not have a steady income, addictions to drugs or alcohol might factor in.
They could be single parents struggling to make ends come in close proximity to each other -that the ends would meet, would possibly be only in their dreams.
It might be a grandmother, who out of necessity, has taken her grandchildren in, rather than turning them over to Children’s Services. Parents have checked out of their lives…or maybe checked in to the local jail or rehab center.
Now I am not being judgmental in the least. My community, and for that matter just about every community, has people who are hanging on by a thread. Those who happen to be more fortunate may look down upon them. I would agree that some have gotten themselves into the mess in which they find themselves. Others have had their situations thrust upon them and are just doing the best they can. Regardless, neither one should be condemned.
Even in the Law that God gave to Moses, His followers were called to reach out to the poor and needy,
7 “If there is a poor man among you…you shall not be heartless, nor close-fisted with your poor brother; 8 but you shall freely open your hand to him, and shall generously lend to him whatever he needs… 10 You shall freely and generously give to him, and your heart shall not be resentful when you give to him, because for this [generous] thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings. 11 For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor in your land.’ Deuteronomy 15:7-8, 10-11 (AMP)
And a New Testament passage is fitting as well,
But whoever has the world’s goods (adequate resources), and sees his brother in need, but has no compassion for him, how does the love of God live in him? 1 John 3:17 (AMP)
Now reading that, Lord Jesus, am I doing what I should be doing? Am I thinking what I should be thinking? Am I sitting all high and mighty and lumping everyone into the same pot and writing them off as individuals who have made their beds and proclaiming it that now they must sleep in them? Lord, please soften my perspective. Actually, would you please override my perspective and insert Yours? Amen.
Nov 26th, 2019, Tues, 1:25 pm
