Not Our Mission

My friend Steve is probably one of the kindest men I know. He follows Jesus everywhere.

Recently, he was reading the newspaper (warning: don't read the paper with Jesus - it can be very dangerous). He read about a woman whose roof had a huge hole in it. She had children living inside and no way to repair it.

He called her and found out the depth of the need. No one else had called.

The next day in Steve's class at church he invited anyone willing to add to the money he was going to contribute. He had $500 in his pocket after class. By the time he left church, he had $700. With Steve's action there ended up being more than a dozen local businesses and several different Christian denominations pitched in. There were dozens of people who worked and payed and donated their lives to fixing that roof in one day. A journalist from the newspaper showed up, everyone was thanked by name in the woman's thank you note. Another world was shown to be possible through willing hearts. Indeed, another world is possible.

One would think that the church would celebrate people's involvement in helping the poor. Steve was one of many Christians serving. Instead, his preacher took a different angle. He said that it was a "nice thing to do" but that this kind of effort "was not the mission of the church." Really? Are there still people (ministers) with small brains and hearts out there? The minister went on to associate this type of compassion with the "social gospel" movement or Marxism. It makes my head spin to try to grasp the logic of compassion in the name of Jesus being Communism.

Take a look at who Jesus spent his time with. Jesus spent his time with tax collectors and sinners (Luke 15:1-2). Jesus allowed adulterous women to touch him intimately in public places (Luke 7:36-50). Jesus was considered a drunkard and a glutton by the holy people because of who he chose to spend his time with (Matthew 11:19). Like Jesus we cannot be afraid to get dirty in the world.

Take a look at who Jesus blessed. Jesus called the poor blessed (Luke 6:20).

In the New Testament we are told what "pure religion" looks like. Interesting it is not preaching sermons or keeping doctrine pure or being on the right side of an issue). James said that pure religion is taking care of widows and orphans (James 1:27). Action not words.

The action of this preacher is only a sad footnote to an amazing story. The good news was expressed in action by my friend Steve. The difference was made by people willing to act and not talk about their faith.

I pray for forgiveness for the times I have discouraged people serving in the name of Jesus. To my friend, Steve, consider it pure joy when you are persecuted for serving in the name of Jesus. He never said it would be easy.