Helping the homeless

You may remember that I mentioned in a previous post that my family and some friends of mine went to hang out with and feed the homeless of Laguna on Christmas day last year.
We all had such an awesome time hanging out and talking and getting to know these guys and their stories that I said, I don't wanna wait till next Christmas to do this again!
So my awesome community group has volunteered to go with us to do another pancake breakfast this Saturday morning. And even better this time, we're gonna cook em up fresh in the back of our friend's jeep.

There is so often mixed emotions when it comes to the homeless of this world, we can feel so conflicted about their plight, seeing their suffering and wanting better for them but frustrated, by not knowing if they're being lazy or wanting someone else to do the work for them.

Well I came across this really awesome encouraging story this morning and I wanted to share it with you...

"During World War II, a little church in Strasburg France was bombed by the German Luftwaffe. When the war concluded, the people in the community cleared away the rubble, and found a statue of Jesus, the base of which was inscribed with these words: Come unto Me, all ye that are weary. It was remarkably preserved except for both hands, which had been destroyed. Hearing of this, the sculptor whose work it was immediately offered to replace the hands. But the pastor wisely declined.
And so it was that the statue was returned to its original position in front of the Church, but with a new inscription which read: He has no hands on earth but ours, for we are His Body. It’s true.
We are the Body of Christ. If Jesus is going to reach out and touch a lame person — a beggar, a hurting individual — it will be through our hands. He will use us."

But hang on just a minute before you decide where I going with this...

I think for years there has been a cultural guilt that we can feel when we see a homeless person. We can do one of two things, throw 20$ bucks at them, or turn up our radio and pretend we didn't see them.

But I feel as I'm maturing, it's not about guilt anymore, and it's not whether that person is deserving or not.

Let's look at Jesus for a moment... The guy was constantly surrounded by needs, everywhere he went we're broken people and usually someone asking to be healed... and he was constantly accused of being a winebibber, glutton and friend of sinners, but never of being frazzled or too busy.

Jesus simply did what the Father asked Him to, and that's why Jesus' yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matt. 11:28-30)

We were never meant to fix all of this world's problems on our own, but as we see what Jesus has so graciously done for us, hopefully that love will compel us to be obedient when we hear the Father saying, "you've got a few extra bucks, I want you to buy that guy a meal..."

So the moral of the story is, when you're willing to do what God has asked you, your burden will be light, you won't be weighed down by the plight of others, but simply excited to reciprocate the great love that has been lavished on you. I don't feel like I have to be His hands and feet any more, I'm just so excited that I get to be!

We'll be on Forest Ave. Saturday morning at 8:30 if His love is compelling you to join ;)