(5) Never in its entire 100-year history has one of its pastors had to buy any meat or vegetables.

(5) Never in its entire 100-year history has one of its pastors had

to buy any meat or vegetables.

I can remember growing up when the pastor would come to our house to visit. It was guaranteed to be one of the times when meat appeared at the table. The pastor was always served first, grownups next, then the kids last if any was left over. Usually fried chicken, pork chops, ham or roast beef was the entrée with vegetables that were freshly picked that day or had been canned the past summer. You always knew you would eat good when the pastor showed up.

I can also remember my grandmother telling about a kid up the street when my mom was young. His father was very abusive and he often times threw him out of the house, even in the winter. Nana, my name for my grandmother, would see him and call for him to come to the house. There he would sit with the others and have a hot meal in a safe warm house, and a lot of times he slept on the couch until time to go to school the next day, or try to go to his house and see if his father would let him in.

My mom and her parents were good people and I think this is just one example of many that I was taught that showed their true Christian heart.

Too bad we don’t have more people like this. We hear about a family losing their home (foreclosure rates here in the United States are at an all time high right now) and we go, “Oh too bad, I’ll pray for them that they will be alright.” Or, “God will take care of them, so they will be alright.”

HOW ABOUT:

“I have a spare room(s) that they can stay in instead of having to live in their car or a shelter. The pantry is full and the freezer needs to be emptied, so tell me how I can get in touch with them.”

Yes, God is capable of taking care of them. But don’t you think that He can use you to accomplish that task? He could make a house “magically” appear if He wanted to for them to step right into, or He can use you to learn how to give and give joyfully. Life is always going to be about helping others. If we don’t help others, why should someone help you?

And how about let’s start helping at home. Like I’ve said before, I’m not against helping others in other places. But let’s start making sure our own people are taken care of too. Quit worrying about some child that may or may not be starving in some other country and make sure the kid in the street has some clothes and food to eat. Once we take care of our own and our people are blessed, blessings will be overflowing and can be given as needed to far away places.

Notice that Jesus always fed those around Him. He never sent someone with monies or food to another land or place to be taken care of. If He is going to be our example, shouldn’t we follow in His footsteps. Take care of those around us first, then let the blessings flow from there.