The Hole in Our Gospel Part 6

Our final week studying The Hole in Our Gospel focused on what we could do personally to “repair” the holes.

After being presented with so many overwhelming problems in our world throughout this series, it could be easy to feel small, insignificant and incapable of making any lasting difference.

I love a quote Rich Stearns uses from Mother Teresa that speaks to this: “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.”

In the context of this quote, Stearns discusses a passage in Matthew 17:20 when Jesus says that if we have faith as small as a mustard seed, we can say to a mountain:  “Move from here to there” and it will move.

He says: “What if Jesus meant for millions of His followers to each put their faith into action by grabbing a shovel and challenging the mountain one shovelful at
a time?  Any mountain can be moved - even the one called Poverty or Hunger or Injustice - if we have enough people shoveling.”

Stearns wraps up his book by encouraging us to see the world with different eyes.  He asks:  “Do you see problems that can’t be solved… or do you see light dispelling the darkness and the kingdom of God advancing with force?”

In our last week of small group we watched a video that referenced the story in John 6 of a young boy who offers Jesus his five loaves of bread and two fish to feed a crowd of 5,000.

His disciples must have been skeptical at best as Jesus instructs them to tell the crowd to sit down and prepare to eat. Ironically, the boy’s meager offering not only feeds the crowd, but yields 12 baskets full of leftovers -one for each of Jesus’ disciples. 

God invites us to offer up our loaves and fishes as well. It is up to us to pray and ask for His leading in how to respond to the needs we see in the world.  The more we practice showing mercy, justice and compassion, the easier it becomes. 

I had several lively discussions with my small group and different friends in
the days and weeks following our final sermon in the series.

Most encouraging to me was the way I saw people grappling with how they could take what they had to offer and use it to bless others in need. I didn’t see anyone trying to save the world in one fell swoop, but I did hear many ideas for small things being done with great love.  Here are a few that struck me:

A friend who works in San Francisco walks by scores of homeless people on a daily basis. He decided to prepare himself in advance for the many requests for help he gets on the way to work. He printed labels that said “God loves you. Go to City Impact at 230 Jones Street for a hot meal” and attached them to granola bars.  As people asked for a handout, he gave them this gift of hope. Not everyone wanted what he had to offer, but God was still honored.

A mom with young kids who often encounters homeless people asking for help at a certain freeway off ramp was inspired to show compassion and be an example for her kids.  She resolved to put together small bags of essential hygiene items and non-perishable food to keep in her car. Each time she encounters someone asking for help, she’ll be ready to meet the need and show God’s love.

Another family who loves to travel decided that it’s time to make their next spring break adventure a mission trip. They are in the process of praying and researching about where they can serve and be a light in the darkness. They are taking their enthusiasm for experiencing new places and new cultures and using it to show God’s love to those in need.

A couple who are monthly sponsors for an orphan in Uganda decided they could shoulder the financial responsibility of sponsoring an additional child. They chose a girl with the same birthday as one of their little daughters.  Their pre-schooler couldn’t be more thrilled to have a pen pal in Africa with the same birthday!

I’ve chosen a few examples but the list could go on. It is exciting to see so many people finding ways that God can use their “loaves and fishes” to show His love, mercy and justice to a world in need.

I’ve been studying the book of Esther this fall with some women at church and the story connects perfectly with this concept. To appreciate it fully, the story needs to be read in its entirety.

The short version is that a young Jewish orphan girl named Esther finds herself chosen to be Queen of Persia after winning a beauty contest held by King Xerxes.

During the story, the Jewish exiles in Persia become targets of an edict aimed at completely annihilating them. Esther is encouraged by her cousin to use her connection as wife of the King to beg for mercy for her people.

For a variety of fairly valid reasons, Esther frets she is not the right person for the job.  Her cousin admonishes: “Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”

She had the choice to ignore the need of her people and to let them face ultimate demise or to try and do something about it. Thankfully, she decides to take action. 

While we may not be royalty, all of us are in unique positions like Esther. We all have a set of skills and resources to offer as well as connections with different
people and organizations. We won’t know how God can use those things until we ask Him and then respond in obedience. Like Esther, it may feel risky. But not trying ensures that we can’t make any impact.

Bible teacher Beth Moore says it well:  “Every one of us who embraces the glory of
God as our purpose will end up doing great things precisely because we do God-things. His holy hand resting on the least act renders the ordinary extraordinary.”

I continue to pray and ask God to show me where and how He wants to use me personally. My latest inspiration has been to use my involvement at my son’s elementary school to educate and inspire kids to show compassion to others.  This week I got to share with two different classes about impoverished kids overseas. 

I started off by taking a poll to see how many kids got gifts at least twice a year.  Every hand rose enthusiastically.  I continued polling asking “How about three times a year? Four?”

I finally stopped when I hit 12 and some kids were still holding their hands high. I then asked “How would you feel if you NEVER got a gift?  What if no one ever even remembered it was your birthday?”

Eyes got wide and kids shouted out different responses.  One girl eloquently spoke for the group saying: “I would feel neglected!”

I went on to explain that a huge number of kids around the world have been in this situation for all of their lives. I followed up this sobering revelation by inviting them to participate in a holiday project where we could change that reality for this year. The response from both classes was overwhelmingly positive. They are going to fill shoeboxes with small toys and daily necessities to send to impoverished children through an organization called “Samaritan’s Purse.”

I was surprised to get so much feedback from parents thanking me for initiating the project and asking if it was OK to donate more than the suggested items. The one box my family usually donates will be multiplied into many. All it took was
some time to plan, organize and present the information. People were overwhelmingly positive when I invited them to make a difference along with us. 

I am realizing that raising others’ awareness about the needs in the world and prayerfully inviting them to make a difference is less intimidating than I thought.  There are many people who just don’t know the huge needs that exist or who don’t know what to do about them.

Taking the time to learn for ourselves and inviting others to join with us as we respond invites God to move in powerful ways. Doing this enables ordinary people like us to do more than we ever thought possible. We might even move mountains - one shovelful of dirt at a time.

It has been challenging and fulfilling grappling with the issues in The Hole in Our Gospel in such a public way.  I have enjoyed writing about it and have appreciated the feedback I’ve received.

Thank you for going on this journey with me.  With each posting I’ve prayed that my writing would be used to honor God, inspire others and further His kingdom. I will continue to seek His leading for other opportunities to write and share in the future.