While at the park, a little boy loses his glasses. Then I hear my three year old saying to a boy much older than him "It is ok little buddy, you will find them." As I look in the direction of my son, I see his hand patting the other boy reassuring him that everything will be ok.
I see my three year old opens his arms and hands to help many people in need. While at Good News Club, he is the first one that gets up to get a new person a chair. No one needs to ask him to help others. He just has a heart to help. The teacher, other helpers nor I did not even think to offer a chair to the new people but my three year old son did.He hugs people when they are sad. He invites people over to the house all the time. He has a heart of hospitality and comfort. He prays often for the hungry and people in our city. When he sees the troubled children leaving middle school, he bows his head and prays. I am amazed over and over as to how God is working in his life. I did not teach him some of these things to do. He asked Jesus in his heart all by himself about a month after his 3rd Birthday. He was in the bathroom all by himself (I was in my bedroom next door). I overheard him praying. He said Dear Jesus I love you and I am sorry for pushing others, hitting others and pulling others. Please forgive me for the bad things I do. I want you." Then with loud, joyful praise I hear him yelling for me. Then he shouts with glee " I asked Jesus into my heart." He had seen a baptism service and was very curious. He asked me lots of questions. We were also doing a Christmas devotional that made him curious about being born again. Since that day, I have seen God work mightily in a believing heart. I too see why God says we must become like little children. Nehemiah's faith is strong. He can tell when my husband and I are not loving each other as well as we can and he starts praying out loud for us.
Children live openly. They usually don't hide things. They trust and believe the best. At church, he serves alongside three friends who pick up bulletins after church service. My son asks many times when he can go to "his job". He is so eager to serve others.
Scriptures:
Proverbs 31:20 - She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
Deuteronomy 15:7-8 - If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need.
Proverbs 11:25 - A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
Observations:
1. Our arms and hands are to be open to the poor
2. We are refreshed by God through giving more
Application:
Since I have become a stay at home Mom, I don't have any ongoing "defined" roles/work outside the home, but I am still learning to have my eyes and ears open to serve wherever I am. I definitely don't feel I am doing enough whereas when I had the role of small group leader, counselor, or teacher, I felt I was accomplishing more. I guess I do have more time to just talk to people as I talk down the road. I really hear people now. In some ways, I have put my eyes too much on all the tasks I have to do in my own house rather than serve the Body of Christ and others around me. At other times, I believe I am serving others but in a more humble, quiet way. As you can see, I wrestle with whether I do enough.
Through studying Jesus and see my son's faith in action, it is becoming clearer and clearer that service is about feeding Jesus sheep. This does mean just meeting the needs of people such as food, clothing, shelter, money. However, it means much more. People who are poor and need need a touch, word of comfort/blessing and prayer. My son always helps by providing what he has but the first thing he does is touch them on the shoulder or arm, prays and encourages them with a word. Nehemiah's name means comforted/consoled by God. I can see why God chose his name to be Nehemiah as it is His purpose for Nehemiah's life to bring comfort to God's people and to "rebuild the broken down walls in people's lives."Jesus touched the leper before he healed him. He could have just healed him physically first but Jesus knew that the man ached for touch. Lepers were outcasts and lonely. The man may have not had human touch for years. Touch is powerful. It conveys compassion that goes beyond an act of serving with some money or food.
Words of comfort and blessing to a person reveals their innate worth. Proverbs 16:24 " Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs 15: 23 "man has joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!"
I read this morning in My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers that "And the Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends." Job 42:10. If I am trying to make myself right with God, I am rebelling against the Atonement. I am to cease from every effort and leave myself in Jesus' hands and then pour out the priestly work of intercession prayer. "The real business of your life as a saved soul is intercessory prayer." Job was restored and healed after he prayed for his friends. The devotional ended with "Pray for your friends now; pray for those with whom you come in contact now."
The application for me is for my eyes and heart be opened to touching, offering words of comfort and praying for the poor and needy (physically and spiritually) that I come in contact with on a daily basis. I am very eager at times to just provide the physical needs and then get back to my work or life at home, but I believe my Lord is asking me to watch and pray. This morning before I started writing I couldn't get this song out of my head "Jesus paid it all"
Lyrics: I hear the savior say "Thy strength indeed is small! Child of weakness, watch and pray, Find in me thine all in all. Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain - He washed it white as snow. Lord, now indeed I find thy power and Thine alone, can change the lepers spots and melt the heart of snow."
Prayer: Lord thank you that my devotion and obedience is to you not to the needs of man. Out of what you have done for me and the joy and thankfulness that you give, I can share that joy and comfort with others. Open my eyes to see wonderful things from your Word that I can then go out and touch others with your comfort. May I intercede on behalf of others I come in contact with. Many times I would rather serve the need I think is in a person's life rather than pray and wait for your power to touch and give life giving words to a person. Thank you that it is not about what I do but about your power at work in me to see the person in need and touched them with your love.
