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Missionary of charity

One of the greatest examples of Christian love in the twentieth century was without a doubt Mother Teresa. Born in Macedonia to Albanian parents, she felt a call to ministry at the age of 12, and six years later joined the Sisters of Loreto as a missionary.

In 1948 Mother Teresa, in what she later described as “the call within the call,” left the convent to go live among the poor in Calcutta, India. She helped begin a new community called the Missionaries of Charity. When asked what it was about, Mother Teresa surprised the person by answering,

“…to care for the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone.”

Later in her life, after years of such incredible impact that her name a household word, Mother Teresa revealed a significant insight when she said,

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

Small things

Jesus said, “Anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name does it unto to me.” In saying this, Jesus shows that it is not just the big things that count, but also small things. Small gestures of kindness and love: giving a cup of water, an act of acceptance, a kind word, a smile, taking time to bake someone a cake or write a card, or sitting with someone who is sick. Little things, which in themselves may not seem like much, but make a difference.

The prophet Zechariah wrote, 

Do not despise these small beginnings. (Zechariah 4:10)

It tends to be the big gestures that get recognized and celebrated, but God says “Don’t despise the small things.” Just as a house is built from lots of small bricks, so the small things you do build into something much bigger.

Things that you do unto the Lord are never wasted. They always make a difference. No act of kindness is too small. The gift of your kindness starts as a small ripple, but over time turns into a tidal wave affecting the lives of many.

You’re growing fast!

I hadn’t seen my friend’s 6 year old son in awhile. “Whoa!!! You’ve grown a foot since I last saw you!” I exclaimed. He looked at me sort of puzzled and said, “Really?” “Yes!” I said, “are you keeping marks on the wall somewhere at your house?” Even more puzzled, he asked, “What is that?”

Marks on the wall were a high priority for Kathie and me with our four children. We would regularly check their growth and celebrate each little increment upward. It seems like yesterday our kids were standing as tall as possible with their backs against the wall. We would carefully make a mark and then celebrate each little increment upward.

Everyone knows that kids grow fast, but when you are around them all the time, it can be hard to notice. My friend’s son shouted to his parents, “Dad! Mom! He said I’ve grown a foot!” They smiled. I added, “He has grown a lot!” They didn’t seem as impressed as me.

Don’t forgot why

I remember hearing the story about the man who built the Taj Mahal. His name was Shah Jahan, and he was very rich. When his wife died in 1629, he placed her casket in the middle of a field and commissioned an elaborate tomb to be built around it. Over the next few years the project reached enormous dimensions, and the Shah’s grief gave way to an inordinate passion for the project. One day while he was surveying, he stumbled over a part of wooden box that had been thrown on the project’s trash heap.  To his dismay, he realized that the box was part of his wife’s casket.

Whether it’s building an elaborate building or raising kids, in situations we are around regularly and changes take place over a period of time, we can miss the importance of what’s happening. What’s worse, we can lose track of the why it’s happening.

“When each of us does our own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” (Ephesians 4:15-16)

Take a moment and think about the people in your life. Even though they are all on different schedules and at different stages of life, all of them are headed somewhere and important changes are taking place. And all of them could benefit from your noticing their growth. You can help them grow, be healthy, and feel loved! Make a mark on the wall of their heart.

Missing hero

Before my dad passed away, he and I would get together on Wednesdays. We’d talk, read, pray, laugh, eat, and sometimes take naps. It was a special highlight of my week.  Just sitting with my dad made me stronger. His wisdom and practical understanding of God and His Word was a treasure I am thankful for.

Heritage is a missing element of our modern world. Very few people have someone they can look to as model for living, much less someone they would consider a hero.  Many of our families are fractured. Relationships are dysfunctional. Instead of getting strength from our families, they’ve become sources of pain. And it’s this kind of pain that gives rise to this…

“There is a generation that curses its father, and does not bless its mother.”
(Proverbs 30:10)

New family

It is a sad fact that many of our fathers and mothers were horrible, perhaps even deserving our scorn. And as a result we live with a void of any heritage in natural terms.  But in spiritual terms it’s a different story! We can have a heritage that is better than anything this world has to offer.

When you make Jesus the Lord of your life you are now brought into God’s family. Your heritage is no longer through your earthly family, but through God’s. Paul says in Romans,

“You were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root.” (Romans 11:17)

I loved my dad and am very grateful for the things we experienced together, but that’s not the heritage that makes my life truly special. My life, and everyone else’s who knows Jesus, has been made special because we were brought into God’s family. We did nothing to deserve it, yet God chose to pursue a relationship with us. That’s now our heritage, and it’s a heritage unlike any other!

Smart bet

Some people actually make a living at gambling. They’re professionals. At the casino you’ll see these expert gamblers at the poker tables and the blackjack tables. They know how to play the game. They know the odds.

But you’ll never see them at the slots. They know the odds. 

Although some people claim they have strategies for winning at the slots, the masses of folks seen pulling the “one-armed bandits” are primarily hoping to win. For the most part the odds of winning at slots are totally stacked against you.

Big gamble

God’s a gambler. Not for money, but for lives. He knows the odds. He knows who will guarantee the best return on his bet. But time and time again he casts His lot with the riskiest ones. In fact, he’s bet his life on those whose likelihood of success is totally against the odds…

The broken

The weak

The foolish

The despised

The least likely to succeed

The ones who could never pay back His investment

But God doesn’t sit mindlessly hoping that there’ll be a lucky payout someday. He knows the lives that He’s betting on. He’s seen beyond promises of big jackpots and the warnings of guaranteed losses.

He strategizes. He sends the influence of his love and presence. He allows pain and relieves it with healing. He causes the lives of those he’s won by his grace to intersect with those yet to be won.

His fingers aren’t crossed, but he is praying for a win. He’s hoping there will be a great return on his investment. And when it happens, no bells, no sirens, no flashing lights, just the payout of heart touched and a life saved.

Making music

The Cateura Dump is the final dumping site for more than 1,500 tons of solid waste each day in Asuncion, Paraguay. It’s also a home for 2,500 families essentially living on top of the dump.

A man named Favio Chavez, saw the needs of the kids in Cateura and decided to open a music school. That was the beginning of his Recycled Orchestra project.

The Recycled Orchestra has received worldwide recognition and has performed throughout the world. In documentary about them, Favio replied,

“The world sends us garbage, we send back music”

Where the King goes

The story of people who can make music in and from the most horrible situation is a powerful illustration of what God intended praise and worship to accomplish through His people.  C.S. Lewis captures the importance of this,

“It is in the process of being worshipped that God communicates His presence to men.” C.S. Lewis

When we lift our voices to God––thanking him, blessing him, declaring our love for him––something happens! God makes His presence known!  David said this…

“You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.” (Psalms 22:3)

It’s through praise that you welcome the King of Kings Himself.
And where the King goes, his throne goes…
And where his throne goes, His kingdom goes…

No matter what you face, what’s been handed to you, or what’s being dumped on you, praising God offers the greatest hope. It establishes his kingdom, his authority, his rule, and his power, anywhere!  Even in a garbage dump, he’ll teach you how to make music.

Try again

After Jesus was crucified, Peter and some other disciples went back to where they were from and started fishing again. Fishing was something they were naturally comfortable with, and they knew how to do it. Yet, after working all night they had caught nothing.

They heard somebody yell from the shore asking if they had caught anything.  They yelled back that they hadn’t caught any fish. They person yelled again,

“Try again on the other side boat.”

One of the guys shrugged his shoulders and said, “What’ve we got to lose?” Peter was too tired to argue, so they threw the net out on the other side. Even in their wildest dreams they’d never had seen so many fish.

John started to figure things out. “Peter, that’s Jesus!” he said. But Peter was already swimming for shore. As Peter was swimming he remembered that this wasn’t the first time Jesus had given he and his friends strange instructions for fishing.

There was the time when Jesus told them to go into deeper water (where no one had ever caught fish before), and their nets were filled like never before. Then there was the time when they needed some money and Jesus told them to catch a fish and there would be gold in its mouth.

When you’re about to give up

When things aren’t going right it’s easy to get frustrated and discouraged, even confused. You can be tempted to take matters into your own hands, or worse, just give up.

Then Jesus shows up in your situation and tells you to do something that seems silly or illogical. He requires you to trust him and operate in faith. What then transpires is something that could never happen if you were left on your own—a miracle!

In the middle of difficulties, especially reoccurring ones, the temptation to give up can be great. But the possibility for a miracle is greater! It’s in these times that God will teach you how great he is, building your faith, and then giving you a testimony of what he did, and what he can do.

So try it one more time.

DIY

Home improvement shows are fun to watch. Among the most popular ones are shows that depict situations where homeowners are living in a home that needs updating and renovation. When the experts first come on the property and start looking around, they often use the phrase,

“This house has good bones.”

This statement refers to the basic design of the home, along with the materials used in to build it, and whether things were done according to local building codes. Generally, if a place has “good bones” it warrants that any money, time, or effort invested will not be in vain.

A regular part of these shows is the removal of prior mistakes and/or shoddy workmanship. As things are ripped apart you can see the worry on the homeowner’s face begin to appear. After all, this is their house. They may not like some of the defects, but they’ve grown used to them.

The best part moment in these shows is when the experts bring the homeowner into their home for the first time after the project’s done. You can sense the joy and thankfulness people have. People will often say things like, “This is what I always wanted this place to look like!” Someone even joked, “Where were you 20 years ago?!”

On the inside

Paul was very transparent to the people in Corinth about how he had lived prior to coming to Christ. He had been an enemy of the Church and the gospel message. Listen to these words…

“For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
(1 Corinthians 15:9-10)

God strips down the things in your life that are defective. By his grace he removes the mistakes made and replaces the shoddy workmanship. He then empowers you to say, “By God’s grace, I am what I am.” In other words, “This is the life I always wanted!” You’ve got good bones!

It was difficult to find him

We were in a part of town that wasn’t the safest place for gringos like my friend and me. We were looking for a homeless Hispanic man who we had met earlier. He had accepted our invitation to our church’s Spanish service happening later that evening. We offered to pick him up and give him a ride.

We were at the location he told us to meet him at, but he wasn’t there. We were just about to leave when we spotted what looked like someone laying in the gutter.

It was him.

He was drunk, but smiled and said, “Gracias, amigos. Gracias!” We managed to get him into the car. And that night he gave his life to Christ. Later as we drove him back we could see the change on his face. His eyes were filled with tears as he told us in broken English, “Jesus has took my sins and threw them into the ocean!”

That night he was arrested and deported. We never saw him again.

About 200 miles south

In Baja Mexico, there’s a little seaside fishing town named Vicente Guerrero. In the middle of this town there is a huge tree with dozens of benches around it.

It’s a church.

Every Sunday those benches fill with people. There are no worship teams, no children’s ministries or youth programs, no ushers, no greeters. Just hundreds of people listening to a man named “Hermano Alfredo” preach. And he preaches the same sermon every week because he only knows one verse. He has it memorized…

“God will throw all our sins to the bottom of the ocean.” (Micah 7:19)

Brother Alfredo is stuck with this one verse, not by choice, but because he can’t read. However, he’s content because he knows the power of this verse. He’s watched God use it to bring hundred’s of people to Christ.

And it was this verse that God used to capture Brother Alfredo’s heart. He’ll never forget the night when he’d first heard it, because his life was changed forever.

He’s probably forgot the two gringos who had pulled him out of a ditch that night and brought him to church, but the gringos won’t ever forget Brother Alfredo.

God is here

When I was about eight years old my dad was preaching on a Sunday morning.  All of the sudden he stopped and said…

“The Holy Spirit is here. I feel God’s presence.”

As people began praising God in response, my eyes and head were turning every which way. I was looking up and down, forward and back in the sanctuary.  So convinced by what my dad said, and how he said it, that I was certain I would be able to see God somewhere in the room.

It also wasn’t uncommon for dad to stop in the middle of his sermon and say something like,

“Don’t you feel like giving God praise right now?”

To which people would begin to speak out their thanks and love for the Lord. I can recall the first time I did that. I told Jesus I loved him and felt him warmly embrace me with his love. It was life changing!

Throughout his ministry, dad taught many things from God’s Word about our faith in him, but it was in the spontaneous moments of stopping everything that dad showed us the simplicity of experiencing God’s presence.  This is something we need to do more of.

Thanks for something

What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the Lord’s name for saving me. (Psalm 116:12–13, NLT)

Think of everything God has done for you. Why not stop for a moment and tell him what he’s done for you, what he means to you, and how thankful you are.  You’re going to sense his love and presence, and if there is anyone around, they will too! They might even start looking for him in the room.

Modern art

The phrase, “It’s an acquired taste” means that you may start out not liking something, or maybe even hating it, but then learn like it and even love it later. This is true for all kinds of things, but most prominent in my mind is the first time I went to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.

As I walked through the gallery I felt little confused. I kept thinking, “This is art?” I could see some artistic merit in works by Henri Matisse, Edgar Degas, and even Salvador Dali, but not the scribbles I saw in the paintings by Jackson Pollock.

When I returned home from my trip, I was telling a friend of mine about visiting MoMA. He asked me if I saw the works by Jackson Pollock. “You mean the guy whose paintings look like someone splattered paint on them?” I blurted out. My friend then schooled me on the form and content of Mr. Pollock, “What Jackson Pollock put on the canvas was not a picture but an event. The gestures on the canvas were gestures of liberation reflecting changes in our culture!”

I’ve returned to MoMA several times, and am now able to appreciate the paintings of Jackson Pollock. I could spend hours staring at his paintings. I love them!

Like, even love

When you go through different experiences, especially difficult ones, it’s hard to appreciate their value. It might be something that seems pointless, or something you don’t like or even hate. But then something happens where you start to see how God used that experience.

 “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Eph 2:10, NLT)

There is art in your life that you may not recognize, or like. It looks like scribbles and splatters to you, but it’s actually God’s workmanship. God wants to show the beauty and value he’s put there, and cause you to appreciate His work. Your life will become an art gallery of God’s love and faithfulness that you’ll begin like and even love.