This is a reposting from my trip to Guatemala with Compassion Bloggers. I woke up with this sermon on my mind this morning – trying to wrestle it into rhyme and melody today. You will always have the poor…the opportunity…the gift of giving.
In a sanctuary turned classroom and gymnasium, over a bowl of chicken and rice, I leaned across the table and shouted over the music of children playing.
“A poll a few years back found that 80% of American pastors have never spoken on the subject of poverty. With their help,” I said, “we could serve so many more children.”
Pastor Manuel nodded, eyebrows raised. A balloon whizzed overhead cheered on by children laughing.
“If you could say anything to America’s pastors what would you say?” I asked.
He dropped his fork and fanned out three fingers, grabbing the first.
“First,” he said, “Jesus said we would always have the poor so that we would always have the opportunity to be generous, to be a blessing.”
He grabbed the first and second fingers together and leaned in closer.
“Second, the Bible teaches that everything we have is a gift from God. We are to be generous givers like our Father.” He smiled and looked up past the ceiling in gratitude.
“Third, when the poor receive gifts they will thank God and they will give to others. It is a cycle that will never end.”
It will never end.
I often think this. Boarding a plane to yet another country. Writing yet another blog post. Preaching at yet another church. Hearing my children speak yet another bedtime prayer to Heaven for children who don’t have beds and macaroni and cheese and clean water. I think This will never end.
And it feels like a sentence.
But not today.
It was an opportunity. I hope it always is to me.
An opportunity to receive from the Giver, give to the poor, and see the gift given again. And again.
An opportunity to be blessed to be a blessing.
Once my heart and belly were full, I pushed away from the lunch table and dangled kids by their feet and tickled their ribs…
…carried them…
…savored their cackling and songs and squeezes and chubby hands scribbling butterflies in crayon.
Thankful. Freed from the sentence of unending poverty into the opportunity of it.
Right now you have the opportunity to sponsor a child and be like the Giver. Please seize it.
And if you’re a pastor please tell your congregation what the bible says about poverty. Please. There’s so much more we could do together. We need your voice.
Sarah says:
this is beautiful. as always, thanks for your perspective.
Sarah says:
I think my favorite line is “Freed from the sentence of unending poverty into the opportunity of it.” Fills me with hope rather than despair.
Kathi says:
I agree with Sarah; that is my favorite line too.
We have been tighter financially than ever before after close to two years of unemployment, but I feel like God is telling our family two things: Give praise and give to others. I am still praying about what that looks like, but I do recognize it as an opportunity to love what God loves.
Praying that God gives you both rhyme an melody today, He Who Wrestles.
natalie says:
dearest kathi,
From a wife & mother who has walked through unbelievable financial struggles — I can say with absolute confidence: God will ALWAYS meet you in your giving.
A few years ago we felt God pulling our hearts in this area and stretched our faith (seemingly at the worst financial time). Excited but apprehensive, we sponsored 2 kids.
EVERY month since there has been enough for them and for us. The irony of it was God taught us how to trust Him to an even greater degree so that we could give to an even great degree.
He will meet you where your faith is, especially if you’re putting it into action. He won’t tell you how it’ll all work out but He does promise that it will.
We now have 4 sponsor children. And its still a continuous act of trusting God to meet us in the dollars & cents. But as we stretch open our hearts in love He never fails to provide what we need.
These children have become a part of our hearts and family. We pray for them, we write them, we hang their artwork & photos on our fridge.
‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for me.’ Matt 25:40
Can you ever out-give God? ;o)
There is never regret, only joy, in giving.
~ natalie
Megan @ Faith Like Mustard says:
That verse–“you will always have the poor”–HAS always felt like a sentence, like a problem that can never be solved. This is a great perspective!
Katie says:
Love it! It also made me want to go play with the kids at my hogar in Guatemala!
Katie
Amber says:
I wonder about the context of this verse – “you will always have the poor among you.” Was Jesus just saying that to Judas when he was questioning Mary’s rich gift? The context of this verse seems to not be a sermon about poverty. I am in no way an expert on this passage but I always thought the main point is that greed in our hearts leads us to judge someone else’s worship. (See John 12)
Will there always be poor in our lifetimes, too? I don’t know.
How does this contrast with Deuteronomy 14 and 15- “There should be no poor among you – for in the land the Lord will give you, he will richly bless you?” Maybe that’s situational too? Am I taking that one out of context?
Maybe it’s the crazy dreamer in me but it is possible that there be no poor among us – in my lifetime? That we have been blessed beyond our wildest dreams?
Mostly questions, more than comments.
elizabeth says:
Shaun,
Thank you so much for sharing Pastor Manuel’s words. I work and live among the poor in the Middle East. Often times our work just feels so pointless and frustrating. I question why I have so much and others have so little, and if I can possibly make a difference in the poverty cycle. Thank you for this perspective.
Boog Ferrell says:
Thanks Shaun for speaking of what you see. The message always cuts to the heart of the issue and to my heart of disobedience….Grace & Peace
Amy says:
I love this! What a paradigm shift!
Shifting from despair to hope and service.
JD says:
Beautiful… thank you for your words, and sharing His in a new way.
Love that last photo!
Erica Shier says:
My husband and I were contemplating sponsoring another child. This post served as a prompt to do just that. We are now sponsoring Alexander, age 7, who is only weeks older than our Alexander, age 7.
Please keep up the posts on simple living so that others may simply live. They inspire us.