One of the ways the Lord has been working the most in my heart over the past few years is in "breaking my heart for what breaks His"...which more specifically has been for the poor, orphaned, and the "least of these". I read "Ministries of Mercy" by Tim Keller about 3 years ago and in a lot of ways the Lord really changed my perspective and gave me a true sense of compassion for others. Ever since then I have really wanted to get more involved in actively living out James 1:27 and Micah 6:8. What does it look like to "look after the orphans and the widows in their distress" and to "act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with my God"? Well the other night (bare with me here...I promise this is going somewhere! ha) I was reading several blogs (obsessed with "Babe of My Heart") and I was so encouraged yet at the same time discouraged because I feel like the Lord has given me this heart for "the least of these" for several years now yet I feel like I have not "done" anything with it! I have these awesome ideas of doing something glorious....but never follow thru with it! I haven't started some huge ministry or fed the poor on a regular basis or adopted a child or given away the shirt off my back to a homeless person....and I was just feeling like such a failure. In tears, I was telling Andy about this and he reminded me of something our pastor said..."God wants your life in nickels, dimes, and quarters....not your $1k check every once in a while" We went on to talk about the "nickels, dimes, and quarters" that the Lord has led me to give like taking meals to people in our church that have adopted (even if I don't know them personally), buy groceries for a single mom that works at publix that I have gotten to be friends with, to pray for the orphans around the world and for many friends I know that have/or are adopting, to show genuine love and compassion to a 17 year old kid that works for us that is having a difficult time....sometimes it just doesn't "feel" like enough....I want to do something "grand", I want to "change the world"...I want do something "radical" (read parts of that book which is amazing too)....but for now, I know the Lord's calling me to waltz through my days a nickel at a time.
As many times as I've heard James 1:27 I think I always ignore the second half..."and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world". Isn't that amazing that that phrase comes right after "Look after orphans and widows in their distress"? The more I am concerned with the things of God's heart ("looking after the least of these") the less I am polluted by the world- the less I long for "stuff" and the more I long for Him! It's pretty amazing how that really works!
Ok, so clearly I won't be writing any devotional books anytime soon and I'll keep my day job of cooking....but I hope that made sense to someone out there!(:
Oh...and two other great books I'm reading now..."Generous Justice" by Tim Keller and "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp....both truly life changing! So grab a copy if you your wanting a good read!
3 comments:
Love this...just beautiful--thank you for sharing!
This is exactly where I've been, too. I have been feeling tugged so much the past few years but dont feel like I've done anything really big...big enough. Thanks for that reminder and of the second part of James 1:27. I haven't thought about that part AT ALL. I'll have to check out the Tim Keller book, too.
Hey Ashley this is Lauren Casey Rushing from high school. I do not think I have every posted on your blog but somehow I came across and have enjoyed reading it. Your little boy is precious. This post really touched me b/c I feel the same way! I want to do something radical! But I have to remember it is the small things we do that mean the most sometimes that maybe we think are not so big!
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