“Hannah I am going to miss you,” called out my seven year old from across the room Sunday morning. Thankfully she is just moving into an apartment across town, but it is funny how just one month ago we didn’t even know Hannah when we welcomed her into our home. Now we are all going to miss her presence.
A month ago, as I was finishing up items on the vacation to-do list, I got a phone call from my sister. She informed me that her friends, friends, daughter was moving from Chicago to teach at a school just six miles from our house here in North Carolina. The problem was her apartment wouldn’t be ready for a month but her job already started and students arrived in less than a week.
So I did what I can only hope someone would be willing to do for us if we needed it, I called my husband to suggest opening our home. Within a few hours Hannah and her family would be coming over for dinner to meet us and see her new room before we drove shortly after to Michigan for the week.
Yes, we let a complete stranger move into our home while we were on vacation.
Matthew 25:34-40 NLT
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
We live in such a selfish time. People are always trying to find someone they can push down, to rise to the top. Others are saving every penny for something that will never bring them meaning in this life. But we have the opportunity every single day to make a decision to rise up and live out our faith.
Often times these decisions are split second decisions. You don’t always have an abundance of time to weigh all the pros and cons.
Obedience to live life the way God called us to should always be ready in our back pocket.
Hungry? Fed me- You can cook a meal for a friend who has had a baby, is sick, or just struggling. You can also buy the person behind you food in the drive through or groceries in the store.
Thirsty? Gave me drink- This can be seen as a literal drink. I know some friends who keep a ziplock bag in their car with a water bottle, snacks, and a toothbrush, washcloth to give to someone who is homeless. But you also have the opportunity to show others the Water of Christ.
Stanger? Gave your home- You can open your home to foster children, soccer coaches as I talked about in Stranger Things, or even to the Starbucks barista who doesn’t have family close by for Easter dinner.
Naked? Clothed me- Every season clean out your kids clothes. Donate the ones kids can no longer fit into.
Sick? Cared for me- You can care for others who are sick without exposing yourself to their germs. Drop a meal or a care basket at their door. When someone is having a surgery sit with their family in the waiting room.
Prison? Visited me- There are prison ministries out there. If you know someone who has family in prison you can offer to drive them to visit them.
In order to be ready to do/offer any of these on the spot you need to be prepared.
How do you prepare to serve?
It begins in prayer. Ask God to open your heart to service. Then ask Him to show you areas you can serve.
Open your eyes to the world around you, waiting for God to reveal the right opportunity. When you are in prayer with Him, you will know when it is Him whispering for you to do it.
We all have the opportunity to rise in Christ like yeast that permeates bread.
What is holding you back from living like Christ asks us to?
This is part 3 to the Rise series. Click here to begin with the first part.
