God's Heart for the Poor
Thank you, Matthew Smith and the others at Mosaic Community Development, for helping us think more deeply today about poverty and what a Christian response to it might look like. Here are a few of the Scriptures Matthew pointed us to:
Jeremiah 22:16: "He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?" declares the LORD.
Ezekiel 16:49: Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.
Matthew 11:4-5: Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor."
Also, check out the Word Made Flesh website for some very thoughtful writings concerning poverty and the kingdom of God.
I said in closing this morning that the Fall is complex, and so we shouldn't expect redemption to be any less complex. Should we work and pray to eradicate poverty? Yes. Will we always have the poor with us? Yes (Matthew 26:11). It all makes for a messy world. And that's the world God sends us into as His ambassadors.
What tensions are you feeling, what thoughts are you having, what heart idols are you confronting as a result of this morning's message?
posted by Bob | 2:08 PM
4 Comments:
I have contemplated posting on this subject matter as I am afraid it will appear I don't have a heart when it comes to this topic. I must say I was somewhat frustrated when I left Sunday morning. And I am not really sure as to why. I do know I do not like the words "the poor." Poor means inferior, less than adequate, small in worth...some people have been dealt a tough hand, others have been dealt a great hand but made wrong decisions and still others are dealt a great hand and life just always seems to go their way. We are ALL people just trying to make a life.
No matter you/I/we do, there will always be people living on the streets. All we can do is reach out a helping hand. If they reach back, then great. But if they don't, that's okay...you tried. It's all we can do...you aren't going to change anyone, unless they want to change or make a change.
I apologize for my frustration...I do commend Matthew Smith and those he works with. I just have mixed emotions when it comes to those living on the streets. Everyone has a chance at something good. Some just have to work harder for it. And while it isn't necessarily fair...it is life. It's what you do with those cards you are dealt that makes the difference.
I left Sunday absolutely grieved at how much I take for granted. I take my family for granted, my education, my ability to think clearly. I was really driven to look at how ungrateful I am. I am able to look clearly at my situation in life-- freed by God's grace and work to do so. I am living in a nice home with healthy children and a wonderful husband, with a Mom and Dad whom I can call on the phone at any point to thank (for the most part) for my college education and a good raising.
On my drive home, I realized that I spend too much time thinking about how I can impart this stuff to others and less time allowing God to use it to point to the gross state of my own heart.
Amazing grace... that saved a wretch like me!
This past Monday, I spent a portion of my evening down at Mosaic. I had asked the Senkbiles the week prior if I could join them for an evening to see for myself what exactly went on there every Monday.
When we arrived, a sense of discomfort settled into my soul, mostly because I had never been to Mosaic before and I had no idea what to expect. So I followed Michele (Senkbile) around, sort of like a stray puppy, as she amiably conversed with people in the room and kindly introduced me to those around her. She made her way to the kitchen area of the room and slipped on a pair of latex gloves. I followed her lead, as she explained a little more about Mosaic to me and what we were doing next. We worked our way back to the table where food was to eventually be served, shaking hands of a few volunteers along the way.
We served chicken parmesan and green beans to a line of extremely grateful smiles; some toothless, but nevertheless grateful! Once dinner was served and everyone sat to eat, Michele and I heated up more chicken and beans to be served for seconds and eventually thirds. We made preparations for another line of people to come through and were then replaced by a new pair of people with latex gloves on their hands, ready to serve. As we were relieved of our duties, I scoped the room for a place to sit, intentionally picking a place near someone who I could engage in conversation with (and of course this made me uncomfortable). Then I noticed Keith. And the empty chair across the table from him. So I walked over to where he was seated and sat down.
Initially, I simmered in my anxiety, as I struggled to think of clever ice-breakers. “Is that your third helping, there?” I said (oh, so clever, Ivy). His mouth was full, as he had just taken a bite, so he nodded yes. “It must be pretty darn good, then,” I responded to the nod (another indicator of how clever I really am… or hardly am). Keith began to tell me how wonderful his meal tasted. Slowly easing into my comfort zone, I asked him what his favorite food to eat was. “Oh, I like so many foods! How about I’ll tell you what I don’t like!” His eyes brightened and he began to tell me about liver his mom used to make and how he would go without dinner whenever she would make it. There was no room for pickiness at his family’s dinner table. I chuckled with him, as I could identify with his story. We talked about how we both loved a good cheeseburger and fries or a bratwurst hot off the grill and a cold beer.
My conversation with Keith continued. I felt comfortable asking more questions. I inquired him about his childhood, his parents, his hometown, previous jobs he had, what his hobbies and interests were. As our conversation continued, I began to see that Keith and I had more in common than we didn’t have in common. He loves corn on the cob freshly picked and shucked in the summertime. So do I. He spent his childhood growing up in a small town in a family that constantly struggled to make ends meet. Hhmmm… me, too. He’s had jobs he’s loved and jobs he’s hated. Wow, as have I. He’s experienced the excitement of falling in love, the heartbreak of falling out of love, and the pain of losing love. Haven’t we all? And our biggest bonding moment of the evening and our greatest commonality: we both have a strong dislike for Husker football. At this point, I had decided that Keith was my new best friend.
I realized in that moment that any existing separation between Keith and me, before that evening, was a separation I put there myself. I suddenly became aware of my faithless tendency to isolate myself from things that make me uncomfortable or don’t fit into my “safe box”; it’s part of that good ole’ thing called sinful nature. I began to see and understand poverty, specifically the poverty that Keith was experiencing, through a divinely-orchestrated, life-altering interaction with another human being.
Now, am I saying that I left there that night with an understanding of poverty, all the complexities and possible solutions encompassed in that? Absolutely not! If anything, I was completely baffled by the experience I had there. I left with a mind full of questions that are, perhaps, unanswerable and a heart full of convictions, which have brought me to tears the past two nights as I’ve tried to fall asleep.
Despite the pain and discomfort, I would love to continue spending Monday evenings down at Mosaic, investing my time (which really isn’t my time… such a Sunday school comment, but SO true) into guys like Keith by not only serving them two or three helpings of a good meal each week, but also talking to them about life - THEIR lives. They’re living one, too, you know. They all have experienced joys and pains, and because of this, each has a story to share. In Keith’s willingness to share his story with me that night, my soul was touched by Jesus in a way it had never been before. There is nothing easy about being broken for others, but it is in that brokenness that we become selfless and willing to serve others, regardless of our state of being or theirs. Thanks Keith. Thanks Jesus.
Go Cyclones!!
I just wanted to take a minute to share my excitement of how we are being challenged as a community to respond to God's call to have a heart for the poor and for the community of Omaha at large. I also wanted to share a few pieces of scripture that have been challenging to me as a follower of Christ and continue to be a challenge to me.
Matthew 25:34-40 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world, For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'"
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'"
"Then the King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me'"
James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress ...
1 John 3:17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?
I also wanted to share just a little bit more about Mosaic Community Development as a few individuals have expressed interest in the ministry and/or volunteering. At this time MCD primarily has two programs: Life on the Brick which a couple individuals have written about and the Creative Educational Center. As I am sure you have come to understand, Life on the Brick is an opportunity on Monday night to share a meal, play some games, and connect with our friends who may be homeless or have a lower income. The creative educational center is an after school tutoring program for at risk youth from 4-6 on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons. According to the Omaha Public Schools it is either the only or one of two off-site after school tutoring programs that serves Bancroft, Castelar, and Liberty elementary schools (A total of 1400 students). The curriculum of the program includes tutoring, art education, and character lessons. Because we maintain a volunteer to student ratio of 1 to 2, we have had waiting limits in the past on the number of students we are able to serve, therefore volunteers are needed. If you are interested in learning more about the programs or volunteering at either program please let either JD or I know. And due to the dynamics of the programs please get in touch with the program coordinators prior to volunteering. For Life on the Brick it is Tony Jackson and his email is creep42@hotmail.com. For the Creative Educational Center it is Christy McGinnis and her email is christy@mosaiccd.yahoo.com. Or if you prefer to call you can reach either at the MCD office at 933-6672. Thanks for all the interest.
Paul
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