Enough

In my opinion everyone should have a personal mission statement.

You may think I’m crazy, but frankly, I don’t really care! (I quit worrying about whether or not people thought I was crazy long ago!).

I hesitate to print my mission statement here because I think it is highly unique and confidential and only for my immediate family to see at this point…they know all of the thinking behind it. My mission statement has to do with, among other things, my purpose on earth and my passion for quietly easing the pain of others through works and philanthropy.

See, the key word in that last sentence is quietly…I want to be anonymous…don’t want anyone to know…just between me and the “Big G”!

But I bring it up today for a reason.

At church we have just finished a series call “Shake the System”. (Soooo good!) The series has talked about (in real basic terms I recap here) the fact that as Christians it is sometimes easy to become overwhelmed with the enormity of the needs of this world, so we justify our lack of jumping in by thinking we can’t do enough to make a difference. But God calls us to do whatever we can, no matter how “small” and to keep at it, influencing others to join in our cause. Pretty soon that ripple effect takes over and we’re rockin’ the boat, people!

I have long been accused of being a “goody two-shoes”, but I sure do LOVE rockin’ the boat for the Kingdom of God! THAT’S where I like to rebel! (By the way, I quit worrying about being called a Goody two-shoes long ago, too! There are far worse things to be called!)

As I have prayed a favorite prayer of mine over the last several years, the Prayer of Jabez, God has answered it in so many ways that I never would’ve expected! (That God, He’s like that, ya know! ...always keepin’ ya on your toes!) My territory has been enlarged in countless ways. Ways that are subtle & ways that have practically knocked me on my rhinestone-encrusted pockets!

For awhile I thought I could only make the kind of difference that I want to make with the great big stuff. I would like to give huge amounts, enormous amounts, through philanthropic acts, but the resources just aren’t there yet… Almost a year ago my friends Donna and Lisa reminded me that just doing it, doing something is what is important…and their words have sent me on a journey that is unexplainable in human words.

I look for these “encounters” everywhere.

But it is those subtle ways that I mention that are the things that make me go hmmm…. (which reminds me of a great song from the 80’s, but I digress and possibly need Ritalin!). In those subtle opportunities are big chances for service & growth & witnessing & giving & helping all in the name of Jesus…but they are also big chances to miss it altogether! To not even see the need or to think it is too small to matter or to think, “that one is easy…someone else will get it”. Or as they talked about at church, to think “that one seems scary and I want to be safe not brave.”

This is heavily on my mind today because I drove through “moneyland usa” where I live around noon today to get my beloved Burger King Diet Coke (king-sized) for a whopping (Burger King pun intended!) $2.06.

Sidebar: You might be praying for me about this as I am in the “weaning” period right now….A.) What is Diet Coke? I mean, really. That thick brown bubbly liquid can not be good for me! And B.) I decided awhile back that I can be doing something MUCH better with that $761+ a year. That could buy a lot for someone in need and it has really been on my heart!

As I pulled in the shopping area, I saw a man. He was standing on the corner. Freezing. Sign in hand that read “Will work for food”.

You’ve seen the type yourself I’m sure, a million times on busy corners. I always give them some money.

I know all of the arguments…but I always think “what if”.

What if it really were Jesus standing there, hungry, freezing…would I drive on by?

Well, I’d bring Him home with me if it really were….

How would you know?

Thing is, you don’t know…He’s not gonna make it that obvious for you to figure out!
But I could hear my overly-protective-of-his-only-child father in my head, so bringing this particular gentleman home with me today without hubby here was maybe not the best option.

So what do I do? What do I do?

I pulled into the drive-thru and started talking to God. (Always a good option when you don’t know what to do, by the way!)

I said: God, I don’t know this guy’s story, but you do. I have no work that I can offer him, no job for which I can hire him, so I can’t really do anything lasting at this particular moment, but I can’t shake the feeling that I was supposed to see him and do something. I have $2.06…in quarters and pennies, no less…again, not that helpful…so God, not to be bossy here, but ya got about 3 minutes to put a clear thought in my head about what action I am supposed to take.

And he did.

Something simple, appropriate, and that because it was God-driven, felt absolutely right.

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink... I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matt 25: 35, 40

I talked briefly to the man as I handed him the hot lunch that I bought for him with the debit card that, thank God (literally) I had on me. As I drove away tears were streaming down my face. I prayed for him and I said to God, “Did I do enough, was that enough?” The clear answer back was, “Yes. You did something. And for him, right now, right here, that was enough.”

I hope this December 1st that maybe if only for a split second, I was the face of Jesus for that man, the face of God incarnate who was born to deliver us all…maybe he now has hope, if only a tiny ray, and maybe that tiny ray is … enough.

Question: What will you do the next time you see “the man on the corner”? Will you ask God to help you know, undoubtedly, that is was enough?