Tell me how, but it might look like this:
-taking in homeless people
-witnessing fleshly battle
-losing a car to an addict
-using your savings for someones current needs
-making decisions for others best interest
-teaching your children to want less and serve more
-creating opportunities to be involved with those in need
-involving yourself
-immersing yourself
-helping others
If we are not part of the solution we are part of the problem. If we cannot take steps to help those in need and to understand what the problem is, can we continue to complain, or even hear others complain. How long will you see a problem before attempting solutions. Will you chose to identify problems without recognizing opportunities to be a light in the darkness? I know not all my readers have committed their lives to serving their creator. I know that some have yet to acknowledge that Christ died for them and their eternal gift is at the door waiting for them to receive. So I will not call you out on the way of our Master's design, but invite you to seek salvation. To my brothers and sisters in Christ, I had a friend start a conversation about praying about becoming foster parents, and I mistakenly diverted that to an argument about the comfortable Christian that doesn't want to give up their comfort. About a church of 900+ people and not a single person was interested in a workshop about adoption. There are 120,000 kids in the US alone that need homes, and most of those kids come with secondary health insurance (so that is not a good excuse!) I find myself engulfed in trying to solve problems and understand what I can do, and it is a lonely service field. JOIN ME!
What do you find yourself or others complaining about? My biggest annoying thing recently was the somali this the somali that, shut up already! If you are jealous that they defend their faith and have prayer rooms than maybe we should stand up for what we are supposed to. And guess what? If we do not integrate them into our society and welcome them help,why wouldn't they only isolate themselves into their own communities. And the racial problems? Let's just say when I took role call at the local high school it was the white jocks snickering at others names, not the other way around. If there is a problem do something about it and quit complaining!! And save your thousands of dollars on overseas missions because they are coming to us. That should give you some food for thought. There, I am done for now.
It is important to our family to live our lives as you suggest. We have taken in a lot of children that were otherwise not considered valuable (without financial help or health insurance). This spring we took in a homeless young man. Our foster license would not allow him to stay longer than a month. We pushed that time into three months. I sent out emails and pleas, no one would consider providing a home for him. It was very disheartening; out of over a hundred contacts with Christian, well established adults, not a single one would help this young man out. I was told many times that they would pray about it but they personally would not help. We were able to get him transitioned into a program for homeless youth and we have committed to be his "family". I am still discouraged today, by the unwillingness of people to help. We did not have room for him but we made room. We did not have the finances to help him, but we took it our of our grocery money. He had no great needs, just needed a place to call home and finish high school. Where is sacrificial love? It means sacrifice - that involves going without, that involves pain. Everyone can do something. So get out and do it folks.
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