Have you ever felt mistreated? Not in a way that you think you deserve more, but almost in a way that you think you deserve less, and someone else deserves more..bordering on unfairness.
I don't think I've ever experienced that until a few weeks ago.
Faith. What is faith? "Faith is being sure of what you hope for, and certain of what you do not see." (Heb. 11:1) I believe that one's faith is tested when everything else is taken away..when you have absolutely NOTHING to hang onto. I can't say that I've ever been in that position. But I know people who have--I have met hundreds of people the past month who would be considered "deprived", "poor", and "less fortunate" by today's secular, materialistic, and self-seeking world.
Who are WE to decide what they have? What noble authority bestowed upon us the right to judge what these "poor" people have or don't have? In my opinion, WE are the less fortunate! I have never seen, heard, or experienced people with such great faith! And what I don't understand is why THEY aren't exalted and why THEY aren't commended for their hope and selfless attitudes.
I don't deserve any of this. I don't deserve my family. I don't deserve 3 meals a day. I don't deserve a closet full of clothes. I don't deserve a hot shower, a blanket to keep me warm, shoes to cover my feet, or a bed to sleep on. All my faith has been in vain! It's so EASY to have faith here! We're just too comfortable to realize it!
I met a girl at Bethany Village, an orphange, named Esther. She was 10 years old, but had more wisdom that I ever thought possible. At a mere 10 years old, she captured my thoughts, and I clung to every word she said, trying to unnderstand why she had so little, yet so much faith. Her father was hit and killed by a car 3 years earlier. Her mother could no longer take care of her and her siblings, so they were sent to this orphanage. When I asked how long it had been since she had seen her mother, she replied, "About 2 years..but I'm hoping to see her this summer when school lets out."
As I began to discuss the Kingdom of God with this little girl, her smile began to brighten and her words became more and more rich, full of faith, hope, and joy. I learned more from Esther than she learned from me. She is a woman of the Almighty--strong in her faith, wise in her words, and faithful in her walk.
While these kids still need the daily necesseties of life, I believe their faith comes from the realization that they have nothing else aside from Christ. And isn't that true for all of us? Aside from the love of the Lord, what do we have? A vogue magazine? Diamond earrings? Or even friends? All of these things will fail us. They have all failed me.
I rest in the comfort of the Lord. I rest in the knowledge that only His love satisfies. I am humbled to know that I have nowhere to go except to Him. Father, I break my alabaster box at your feet. "I believe; help my unbelief." (Mark 9:24)
I don't think I've ever experienced that until a few weeks ago.
Faith. What is faith? "Faith is being sure of what you hope for, and certain of what you do not see." (Heb. 11:1) I believe that one's faith is tested when everything else is taken away..when you have absolutely NOTHING to hang onto. I can't say that I've ever been in that position. But I know people who have--I have met hundreds of people the past month who would be considered "deprived", "poor", and "less fortunate" by today's secular, materialistic, and self-seeking world.
Who are WE to decide what they have? What noble authority bestowed upon us the right to judge what these "poor" people have or don't have? In my opinion, WE are the less fortunate! I have never seen, heard, or experienced people with such great faith! And what I don't understand is why THEY aren't exalted and why THEY aren't commended for their hope and selfless attitudes.
I don't deserve any of this. I don't deserve my family. I don't deserve 3 meals a day. I don't deserve a closet full of clothes. I don't deserve a hot shower, a blanket to keep me warm, shoes to cover my feet, or a bed to sleep on. All my faith has been in vain! It's so EASY to have faith here! We're just too comfortable to realize it!
I met a girl at Bethany Village, an orphange, named Esther. She was 10 years old, but had more wisdom that I ever thought possible. At a mere 10 years old, she captured my thoughts, and I clung to every word she said, trying to unnderstand why she had so little, yet so much faith. Her father was hit and killed by a car 3 years earlier. Her mother could no longer take care of her and her siblings, so they were sent to this orphanage. When I asked how long it had been since she had seen her mother, she replied, "About 2 years..but I'm hoping to see her this summer when school lets out."
As I began to discuss the Kingdom of God with this little girl, her smile began to brighten and her words became more and more rich, full of faith, hope, and joy. I learned more from Esther than she learned from me. She is a woman of the Almighty--strong in her faith, wise in her words, and faithful in her walk.
While these kids still need the daily necesseties of life, I believe their faith comes from the realization that they have nothing else aside from Christ. And isn't that true for all of us? Aside from the love of the Lord, what do we have? A vogue magazine? Diamond earrings? Or even friends? All of these things will fail us. They have all failed me.
I rest in the comfort of the Lord. I rest in the knowledge that only His love satisfies. I am humbled to know that I have nowhere to go except to Him. Father, I break my alabaster box at your feet. "I believe; help my unbelief." (Mark 9:24)
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