We live in a society of instant gratification. We can put coins in machines and immediately a snack or a soda appears. We can pull up to a drive-through window of a fast-food restaurant and have an entire meal in minutes. Help children understand that for some people, hunger is a real and life-threatening experience. Help them develop patterns which raise consciousness and encourage them to make regular contributions to food shelves or shelters.
"I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me." Based on Matthew 25:35
Take a new pair of shoes to the school district in your area and ask it be given to a child who needs them. A pack of clean white socks can also be delivered. This would mean the world for a poor child who has holey socks at P.E. time.
Go to your local Christian dentist and give 100.00 for a needy family that comes in.
As a family, prepare a holiday meal with all the trimmings and donate it to a food shelf, or deliver it to someone who is home bound.
Volunteer time at the local food shelf. Food shelves need people to organize donations for storage and distribution.
Make homemade desserts for a shelter.
Learn more about hunger in the world and what you can do to help.
These things are small steps in helping our children realize the needy in the world.
The needy in our area.
We can do small things that will impact others for the cause of Christ.
Please also note: Not everyone is going to be lead to do the same things.
Some will adopt orphans, others will support an orphan by sending money monthly.
Some will be called to be missionaries in a foreign land or to live in the midst of the ghetto's.
Some will make food, some will take it.
Some will preach their convictions on the Internet, while others will preach it from a hillside.
Some will wear it on their face (Tim Tebow:)read his story it's amazing!)
Some will talk of the Lord and give to the hurting while in a chemo room or a hospital bed.
The Duggars, a well known large family, went and bought food to feed 175 homeless men and went to the food shelter and prepared it and served it. Mr. Duggar talked with the men and encouraged. Some of their children helped serve the food and the younger ones helped get bags of clothes ready for the homeless women.
The point being is that at one time I was hungry. I'm sure most of you were too.
I was the little girl from an abusive background that needed real life people to surround me and they did. They gave their time to me, they gave me their support and influenced me to keep my eyes on the Lord. I didn't have to beg these people to help me or sign up at the local DHR office, they saw a need and these Christians at different times provided the need.
Simply the Lord at work. I didn't have a father who cared.. but I did have a Heavenly father who looked for people who were willing to be his hands and feet.
If people like Mart Gray, Coach King, or Mr. Vincent had said "I can't help you",
I know the Lord would have used others that would have helped.
I was in public school and in the local youth group at church, my home life was a war zone. In our society that's the norm. Our simple Christian lifestyle is not what most of the world is living.
Most kids are living in a war zone.
It's us, if you remember, that have been given much so it is us who are supposed to show the most grace. The most forgiveness..The most love.....we're the ones who should be doing the most.
Although my children's life, by the grace of God, looks different I will not forget from where it was that my Savior found ME.. the dirty faced little girl with dirty shoes and a hungry heart and someone said "I'm willing to help her".
I'm saying "we're willing to feed the hungry"..
What does that look like for our family????
Stay tuned!!
4 comments:
Our church is doing Thanksgiving dinner for the needy and alone. We are cooking and serving Thanksgiving dinner at our church for anyone who wants to come. It can be the needy or it can be those who have no one else to share a meal with. We did this last year at the last minute and fed 115 people. If you are interested in doing something like this I can get you more information. We also gave them nonperishable food to take home with them. We hope to serve over 500 this year
I love this post! And the one right before it! You really make me think about life in that perspective!
We have always been a family that donates needed items and givers to children's charity, but in my heart I don't feel like it's enough. You have my brain in over-drive thinking of some tangible ways that we can help others. I want to get involved and take some kind of action. We are not a family with alot of money but we are a family with plenty to give. Thank you for speaking into my spirit. Putting FAITH into Action!
Brandi
ps: We love Tim Tebow. We are BIG Gators here(we live right outside of Gainesville and UF). Even if I wasn't a Gator, that kid is Awesome! The light that shines out of him is not from football it's JESUS. Folks that don't care about football are drawn to Tebow. He preaches to prisons around here constantly and His mission work is honorable but he is as humble as they come. He is an excellent role model for my young son, being a homeschool boy an all. Yes, we love Timmy T.LoL. Enough said.
beautiful post:)
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