Praise the Lord

I give thanks today for coming across something uplifting and inspiring. A woman received an email containing pictures of people collecting money for the homeless. They carried signs that explained that they had a comfortable existence but felt compelled to do something for those in need. It struck a chord with her.

Basically the email had pictures of individuals posing as panhandlers. And this my Friend, took me out of my comfort zone. I knew I needed to do this so thus the Underground Outreach was created.

So the Holy Spirit nudged her to step out of her comfort zone. She listened and obeyed.

Right when I stepped onto the grass next to the highway, I was immediately taken back to the halls of middle school. You know the feeling? The “What in the world am I doing here?!?! EVERYONE IS STARING AT ME! I AM WAY OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE!” Yes, I would love to sit here and tell you how I spent the hour and a half praying for all the drivers, all the homeless and for world peace. Yeah, I can’t. I did pray for the homeless when I consciously thought about it. To be very raw with you, the glares and the lack of eye contact sucked every bit of self-confidence and assurance completely out of me. No, this outreach was not scheduled to be all about me but it is hard to not take away life lessons when you purposely place yourself in a situation you have never been in before.

She quickly learned something about being vulnerable and asking for help. It was psychologically painful. She then remembered how she reacted as a driver seeing someone by the side of the road, holding up a sign and asking for money. Avoid eye contact and drive past as fast as possible. That was the reaction of most of the drivers she encountered that afternoon. A small number stopped, some to question her intentions and others to give money and encouragement. It got her thinking (and feeling).

Friend, where are you? Specifically for people standing on the side of the street, where are you? If you do not feel comfortable giving money, please let me encourage you to keep something in your car to help: McDonald’s giftcards, QuickTrip giftcards, Ziplock bag filled with crackers, socks, bottle of water. Do you make eye contact? Do you pass judgment? Where are you? I promise you, I was the person who immediately thought, “Why can they not spend all this time and energy and just go get a job!” Hey, I am being real with you. And then God gently opened my eyes to the love He so graciously lavished upon me and He simply reminded me of these verses……………

You can guess the verses from the gospel of Matthew that came to her. And so she prayed.

Dear Jesus, thank You for Your forgiveness. Thank You for forgiving me of my judgmental thoughts, my lack of compassion, my ignorance, my determination to NOT care…Father, thank You for opening my eyes to the poor, to those in need, to the individuals who You died for. Father, I pray for the gentleman who was standing at the very corner we stood. Who just minutes before we arrived held a sign, “I need a miracle.” Father, please open the eyes of Your followers, may we be followers who not only PROFESS to follow Your teachings but OBEY Your teachings. I pray for this Reader. Father, only You know this Reader’s heart. I pray they seek You and ask their compassion to grow more like Your compassion. May they desire to grow in their walk with You so they may be used to bless another, give to another, clothe another, feed another, visit another. Father, may we not be judgmental people….Oh Father, may we not be judgmental people……………..through the blood of the Cross I pray, Amen.

Amen.