Understanding the Gospel

In the middle of sitting down for a good read, I overhear conversations that can be quite interesting, sometimes funny, sometimes convicting, and sometimes heartbreaking.  A few months ago, I heard someone mention a Haiti mission trip to a friend and she brought it up because she thought the other lady was going on the trip.  This lady, very prim and proper, made-up in layers of make-up with a Scarlett O’Hara-attitude belted out in hilarious laughter at the fact that her friend thought she would EVER go out of the country to serve on a mission trip.  She was laughing and said that if she can’t fix her hair and make-up, then she won’t go.  She continued talking about putting her make-up on every day and how long it takes her to get ready, and that it if it wasn’t for a vacation where she was pampered in a nice hotel, she wasn’t going.

Honestly, overhearing this conversation made me upset… maybe that seems wrong and now someone reading this is judging me, but I just couldn’t help but look on in disappointment.  I know this person is  a Christ follower, doesn’t she know we are all called to serve?  Does she understand the gospel at all?

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

I might hit a nerve; maybe this is blunt, but if Christ, the HOLY Son of God Almighty, came to SERVE you and I, are we better than Him that we can not humble ourselves and sacrifice something within ourselves to serve others?  Jesus came to be the suffering servant of God to save those that the rich wouldn’t go near – to love those that were seen as outcast.  HE came to serve.  Why shouldn’t we?

I can’t help but wonder if these things in this particular lady’s life are more of a hindrance than anything else? If these things are her “treasures” – as Jesus tells us “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  What will it take to break her vanity and humble her to serve in the true meaning of the gospel? - which honestly has no concern for what people look like. 

Serving in America is one thing and it can humble you, and there is so much work that can be done in our own hometowns! However, when we step unto foreign soil and work with the people who appear to have so little, it will break your heart and change your life if you allow it to. Things like hair, make-up, brand-name clothes and warm showers - things you once thought important become the least of your concern. The people are so wonderfully joyful and giving, they're so loving!  The people i have met have been such a blessing in my life, truly a ray of sunshine in my life, and I admire them. So many times I felt like they were serving me more than I was serving them... it was humbling. 

Yes, I know, this lady may tell herself that she serves in other ways, but after listening to her, I have a hard time believing it is any sort of sacrifice. She spoke as if it were outrageous and horrible for her to not take a shower or do her hair.  Outrageous.... really? 

How about someone who has a parasite living inside them because they take baths in the river because they don't have a shower? I would consider that slightly more horrible, outrageous and life-threatening.

Going overseas outside of my comfort-zone was eye-opening. It stirred something up in me about servant others. {For even the Son of God came to serve...} We ran a small medical clinic for people to receive free medical care that they very much needed and the entire time we were there, there were volunteers from the community caring for our team. The volunteers cared and loved on us. They served us in so many ways.. but my mindset was to go to serve them. It was so sweet and they reflected the heart of Christ more than most. 

We are so spoiled in America.  Believe me when I say I understand suffering and hardship, but I also know that my life could be very different outside of this home. I am thankful.

It just frustrates me to hear spoiled, grown Christian women, talk about how they "simply can't live without a shower and hairdryer."  I don't mean to sound judgmental, so I apologize. And maybe there are things for me to learn about this and see it differently. It is simply hard for me to understand how someone who I know is a Christ follower has such a narrow understanding of the gospel and what it means to serve as Christ served.

having excess

“For the next few minutes, he described how he was selling his large house and had decided to give away many of his other possessions. He talked about the needs he wanted to invest his resources in for the glory of Christ. Then he looked at me through tears in his eyes and said, ‘I wonder at some points if I’m being irresponsible or unwise. But then I realize there is never going to come a day when I stand before God and he looks at me and says, ‘I wish you would have kept more for yourself.’ “ –Radical

I am planning to go to the Dominican Republic in February and I feel this tugging on my heart to give more and love more, to let go of my selfishness and greed {which can be so hard to recognize sometimes}.  Maybe this is God preparing me for what's ahead?  I feel like my love for others has not been actively shown as it should.  God is making me question the motivations of my heart and challenging me to love more.  

I am in the process of moving and looking at all that I have.  I kept saying "I just don't have that much stuff" but it didn't take long to realize I have excess!  I feel that there are others that would count these things as blessings, when I hold on to them as extra for me in case I need it.  Selfish, huh?  I have so much stuff, it's ridiculous!  I feel this tugging on my heart to let go and give these things away that clutter my life.  I don't need three bottles of lotion or two extra toothbrushes {that were freely given to me}.   I don't need the extra blue blanket in the closet!  

I was just talking with some friends about the DR trip last year and how I got to work in the dental clinic.  I will never forget the look on the kids faces as we gave them toothbrushes.  They were so excited!  It amazes me how much we take things for granted.   I tear up thinking of their little faces and the excitement in their eyes.  They were so thankful and I believe they felt loved {maybe in a small way} to know that someone cares and wants to provide for them.  I just hope they see that we do those things because Christ calls us to love and serve them.  

In the meantime, I hope I can give more here.  I don't want to hold on to things that only clutter my life, I don't want to have excess when the homeless guy down the street doesn't even have a bed to sleep on.  I don't need six scarfs when the lady I met at a homeless ministry was freezing and I knew she would be sleeping in a shelter that night.  I feel God tugging at my heart to let go of these things to bless others... now just have to step out and act on it.