I’m writing this today while still sitting in the church, but missing one article of clothing: my trusty black low-top Converse.
Earlier today as I was working, there was a knock on the back door. When I answered, there was a man – disheveled and anxious – looking for the priest. When I told him that we didn’t have a priest at our church, he looked a little crestfallen. But his demeanor picked up a bit after I offered to get one of our pastors.
As she was talking to this man, I overheard him say that he was just released from the hospital; that he was homeless and didn’t have any food or shoes. We could certainly offer him food and water, and did send him off with both, but the request for shoes was more difficult to fill.
It’s a good thing that our God works miracles in difficult situations.
There was a nudge in my heart and, honestly, I was little hesitant to follow through at first. I thought that this man would think I was nuts. But he had a need and God had impressed it upon me to fill it. So, I gathered up confidence and asked him what size shoe he wore. He responded, “9. 9 1/2, maybe.” Perfect. I kicked off my shoes and handed them to him.
This is what it means to be in the ministry. It means that we, Christians, walk in love. And not the broken version of love that the world gives, but the love of God. That means we love unconditionally without condoning sin. To be in the ministry means that we live devoted lives, completely sold out to God, without compromise. To be in the ministry means we have a heart for the lost and a passion to see the multitudes come to know Christ. To be in the ministry means that we serve others and our God selflessly. To be in the ministry means that we aren’t doing things for our gain, but for the gain of others and for the gain of the Kingdom of God.
While He was on earth, Christ loved wildly. He lived a pure life. He sought out the lost and the hurting. He served passionately. He was selfless to the point of death on a cross for my sins. So while I am on earth, I will love wildly. I will live a pure life. I will seek out the lost and hurting. I will serve passionately. I will be selfless, if not to death then, at least, to the point of giving away my shoes.
In this world, I have been someone who has been “overlooked or ignored” and there were people who chose to reflect Christ and invested in my life. The very least I can do to give back to God is to do the same for others.
31-33 “When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.
34-36 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:
I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’
37-40 “Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’
Matthew 25:31-40 MSG
Here’s my semi-naked feet. I wear snazzy socks.
A Voice in the Void 