December Greetings!
It's always a privilege to go and to serve on Monday nights with my church family. Getting to go serve the homeless and those less fortunate is always a tremendous blessing and its also humbling as well. It's humbling because I am always worried that we're not doing enough for our kids. Don't get me wrong, all of our kids get more than what they deserve at Christmas time. But when mid December, I wonder, as does my precious wife, is this enough? It's a struggle. We go and we serve those that get nothing. The wonderful people we serve are excited about things such as blankets, chap stick, toiletries. My problems are those of "Will the iPhone I'm buying her be enough storage?" or "Will she be happy with the color choice?" and so many other non importance details. Then, I go and serve those who have nothing, and it causes me to think more and more about those that are in TRUE need. It causes me to remember such verses like:
Deuteronomy 16:17:
“Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee.”
Proverbs 3:27:
“Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.”
Luke 6:38:
“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”
2 Corinthians 9:7:
“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
It causes me to evaluate my own giving and sharing with others. I'm a pretty stingy guy. I like to get cool, shiny, happy, techy toys. But I don't ever pay for someones meal at the restaurant that I'm eating at. I've never offered to fill the gas tank of someone else at the gas station while getting my own. It's about $20 to fill my tank right now. That's AWESOME! Why can't I fill another? It's just money, right? It all belongs to God, right? I shouldn't be so stingy with it.
I have no idea where I'm going with this. However, I'll say this....there are needs all around us. People are broken, bogged down, destitute, in need of so many things that I take for granted. Things that I might have two or three of. Things that I could most likely do without. But, I'm stingy.
Serving these people are a blessing. It's wonderful to do so. But more than that, it's imperative that we share the Gospel. We can give them sweaters, blankets, chap stick and turkey dinners, but if we fail to share with them the life saving message of the Gospel, then as Christians, we've failed.
So, don't fail. By all means, give of yourself, but also share the Gospel. Whether that be one to one, open air, pulpit, or social media, just share. Do it. Do it today.
One of my favorite evangelists, one that proclaims on the streets, lives in southern California. His name is Tony Miano (for more information on his ministry go to Cross Encounters ministry page.
I am reminded of one of his quotes he gave. It's something that I'll never forget. It reads:
"If you feed a lost person, give him something cool to drink, put a roof over his head and five him the shirt off your back, but you fail to share the gospel with him, know this. If he dies after you've lovingly served him, having never heard the gospel from your lips, he I will be warmed and filled as he faces God's judgement and eternity in hell. Serve people? Yes. But please share the gospel."
Please remember what's at stake here. Souls.
Merry Christmas to all that read this. Happy New Year and may 2016 be a new year of new beginnings of things you've not done before. If that's sharing your faith, I encourage you to do so. May this year reflect more of Christ in your life than ever before. People are watching.
To all my readers, God bless you and your families.
Chris
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