Verse of Hope

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Waste Not Want Not

During lunch, I opened a can of soup, poured it into the bowl and then heated it up. After two bites, I realized I didn't want it.  I could hear my mother's voice inside my head; "You better eat that, people in
(Name a place) would love to eat that."
The place she would mention ended up being a third world country such as Ethiopia and Africa. I wondered today why the children down the street, the neighbor behind us, or the couple next door were never mentioned in the scenario. 
Perhaps it is the times we are living in today.  I don't know, but I truly wondered why we, my family, my church, or youth group never went out into the community to help our needy neighbors, our brokenhearted elders, or our homeless even if it was to feed them one meal. I may never know.

For me, I have a burning passion to help those that are less fortunate than I am. I use to believe that I could handle life on my own, I had the answers, I can make a way when there was no way, but then it really went sour in my life. I was spiraling down and quick. The boat was sinking and my kids were going down with me. But then, in my complete emptiness, I stood up and said okay Lord, it's just me and you.
It was then that life went downhill some more, but it was because I had to work my way up with God's help and not on my own. I was helpless, but not hopeless.

It is the same for our neighbors today. They are broken and helpless, but not hopeless and unworthy. I look forward to getting my hands dirty. I look forward to making a difference in someone's life with a hug when they don't smell sweet, shake a hand that is dirty, and showing them the love of Christ that has been upon them their whole life. Sure, I won't be able to help save everyone, but Jesus couldn't save everyone either and He was the one who walked through the fire. I will do my best no matter what.  

We are to "love on everyone," as my husband says. We have so much stuff in our homes that we don't know what to do with it sometimes. Other people are wishing they had a home to put stuff.  On Saturday mornings you can ride all over town and not have a difficult time finding a yard sale. We want the dollar for the item we bought so we can be blessed. I have found the more I give away from my house, the more I blessed any ways. My best regards to those of my friends and family that have yard sales, I truly do hope you are blessed. Until I have enough energy to sell my stuff, I will give it away. I don't want to waste it; I just don't want it.

~Be encouraged. We are to be a light in this dark world and people; it is truly dark out there.
Make sure not to waste what you do not want.