Sitting here this morning, in the quiet, reflecting back on the past few weeks and what I've seen going on around me. I volunteer every week at our church to work in the Relief Ministry and so two days a week, I am helping out there, and believe me....it's an eye opener. On Thursdays, my husband and the director of the Relief Ministry, go down to the food bank and buy the food and bring it back to the church and I help them to unload it, and we have a couple of other people at times to help also. On Tuesdays, we give out the food to those in need.
...........those in need........... and believe me ......there are a lot of hurting people!
A couple of weeks ago, we hit our record of families we gave to.....200 families!! This past week was around 145, give or take. Now unless you have worked in a situation like this, it is hard to image what it's like. It was for me until I began helping out. There have always been people in need, but with the situation with our economy, there are more people than ever out there that are hurting!
I am the one that meets the people when they first come in, and I issue them a number and seat them in the room where we have refreshments for them while they wait. I stand at the doorway and I look at these people sitting there....I look at their faces....their eyes tell a lot. In some faces, I see hearts that are happy to know they are about to get some help and their thankful. In another ones eyes I see their anger as they maybe look at the workers and they wish they didn't have to struggle so hard. Yet in another's eyes, I can see them hold their head down, embarrassed that they have to come and ask for food, but knowing they need help. And then I see those that have no expression on their face, for they have just accepted what they think is their fate. A sea of faces...all there for one reason...to feed their families.
When I send them through the line, I always try and talk with them. Some of them will respond, some of them will just look at me, and some will reach out and hug my neck and thank me. That touches my heart so much, because the fact is, it's no glory to any of us for giving them food.....It's all by the grace of God who provides a way for us to go and get it, bring it back, and be able to open up our church doors to those in need. And that's what it is.....THOSE IN NEED. People are hurting, and we have to be the hands and feet for God, to do as He commanded.... to help those in need.
Now I know there are people out there who do take advantage of the system and they take advantage of people and organizations that will help them. How many times have we seen people on the road, holding signs that say "will work for food" , and some of them are being dishonest, and how many times have we rode by them and made the comment, or thought in our minds, ....well why don't you get a job like the rest of us? But what about the ones that are for real? What about the ones that are trying but they have fallen on hard times and just, in the mean time, need to feed their families? It reminds me of the story in the Bible, in Matthew 13: 24-30, where a man sowed`good seed in his field, but while they slept, the enemy came in and sowed bad seed in among the good seed. When the workers found out, they asked their master, "do you want us to pull up the weeds?" (because as the seeds in the field grew out together, there were weeds among the wheat). The master told them, "No, because in pulling up the weeds, you may also uproot the wheat. Just let them grow together, and at the end of harvest, then I will separate them.
We may not know who is truely in need, and who is not, but we have to do our part and leave the rest up to God. Just remember, in our quest to separate who is true and who is not, we may deny someone who IS truely in need. God help us! If you are blessed to have a job, and have food on your table, and clothes on your back, then you need to lift your praise to the Lord for EVERYTHING you have because you are truely blessed! But what if this was you? What if you were to lose your job....your home... and have no way to feed your family.... what would you do? We need to think about this. Really .... we do... MYSELF AS WELL AS ALL OF US! Because there are people that come in, that are homeless, needing clothes and food, ........ in need.........
Let's open our hearts.... our minds..... and just love each other. No that's not a song....just reality.
God bless you and yours today and every day......
Just something to think about.....
...........those in need........... and believe me ......there are a lot of hurting people!
A couple of weeks ago, we hit our record of families we gave to.....200 families!! This past week was around 145, give or take. Now unless you have worked in a situation like this, it is hard to image what it's like. It was for me until I began helping out. There have always been people in need, but with the situation with our economy, there are more people than ever out there that are hurting!
I am the one that meets the people when they first come in, and I issue them a number and seat them in the room where we have refreshments for them while they wait. I stand at the doorway and I look at these people sitting there....I look at their faces....their eyes tell a lot. In some faces, I see hearts that are happy to know they are about to get some help and their thankful. In another ones eyes I see their anger as they maybe look at the workers and they wish they didn't have to struggle so hard. Yet in another's eyes, I can see them hold their head down, embarrassed that they have to come and ask for food, but knowing they need help. And then I see those that have no expression on their face, for they have just accepted what they think is their fate. A sea of faces...all there for one reason...to feed their families.
When I send them through the line, I always try and talk with them. Some of them will respond, some of them will just look at me, and some will reach out and hug my neck and thank me. That touches my heart so much, because the fact is, it's no glory to any of us for giving them food.....It's all by the grace of God who provides a way for us to go and get it, bring it back, and be able to open up our church doors to those in need. And that's what it is.....THOSE IN NEED. People are hurting, and we have to be the hands and feet for God, to do as He commanded.... to help those in need.
Now I know there are people out there who do take advantage of the system and they take advantage of people and organizations that will help them. How many times have we seen people on the road, holding signs that say "will work for food" , and some of them are being dishonest, and how many times have we rode by them and made the comment, or thought in our minds, ....well why don't you get a job like the rest of us? But what about the ones that are for real? What about the ones that are trying but they have fallen on hard times and just, in the mean time, need to feed their families? It reminds me of the story in the Bible, in Matthew 13: 24-30, where a man sowed`good seed in his field, but while they slept, the enemy came in and sowed bad seed in among the good seed. When the workers found out, they asked their master, "do you want us to pull up the weeds?" (because as the seeds in the field grew out together, there were weeds among the wheat). The master told them, "No, because in pulling up the weeds, you may also uproot the wheat. Just let them grow together, and at the end of harvest, then I will separate them.
We may not know who is truely in need, and who is not, but we have to do our part and leave the rest up to God. Just remember, in our quest to separate who is true and who is not, we may deny someone who IS truely in need. God help us! If you are blessed to have a job, and have food on your table, and clothes on your back, then you need to lift your praise to the Lord for EVERYTHING you have because you are truely blessed! But what if this was you? What if you were to lose your job....your home... and have no way to feed your family.... what would you do? We need to think about this. Really .... we do... MYSELF AS WELL AS ALL OF US! Because there are people that come in, that are homeless, needing clothes and food, ........ in need.........
Let's open our hearts.... our minds..... and just love each other. No that's not a song....just reality.
God bless you and yours today and every day......
Just something to think about.....
Renee I want to first thank you for this post. It really tells a story of what is happening all over the world. People are truely in need of help...and yes, there are those who know how to bleed the systems dry. I don't have any pity for these!
ReplyDeleteSecond, because of man and his greed, mankind suffers harshly. There can be no solution to our problems from them...we all must look to a higher source. If only many would do so! Thank you for this beautiful post...let's hope those who read it can open their heart to help their fellow man. Love you, Loretta
Renee, thanks for reminding us about others in need and how we can help.
ReplyDeleteI need to start volunteering again. Good work.