Matthew 5:3 (NET) - Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of God belongs to them.
My friends just returned from a mission trip.
They shared some of their experiences with me.
In reflecting on the things they shared, I could not help but feel overwhelmed.
The remote village to which they traveled was quite poverty stricken.
The people there had very little as far as possessions are concerned.
Home was little more than four walls and a roof that could not even keep out the rain.
A simple bag of food distributed by missionaries to a household would be rationed and stretched to its limit and would last that family several days.
My friends have been sponsoring two children in this country for a number of years.
On this trip, God moved them to sponsor a third child.
Given the opportunity to meet this child, they took her to a zoo in the city.
These were both very new experiences for her.
She delighted in seeing all the different kinds of animals on display at the zoo.
Afterward, they went to a restaurant but were surprised that the child did not wish to eat her meal.
When asked why, she said she wanted to take it home and share it with her family.
This moved my friends who then told her to eat her meal and they promised her that before leaving they would buy food for her family.
Church was also a different experience for them.
The service was held in a structure that is a far cry from the image most people think of when they hear the word "church".
The service also lasted much longer than what most of us are accustomed to.
Singing songs of praise took up much of that time.
God had a surprise for one of my friends.
He was asked to preach.
He had nothing prepared ahead of time and found himself in total reliance upon the Holy Spirit.
Speaking through an interpreter, he delivered the message that God had given him to share.
Why am I sharing this?
Most of us have much more in terms of possessions than the people in this village will ever have.
In regard to food, most of us discard in a few days what families there share in a week.
Even the overall church experience differs.
At the risk of painting with a very broad brush, we expect church to conform to what we expect from it rather than what it is meant to offer us.
Perhaps most revealing was the overwhelming knowledge that those who have so very little are far more grateful than we can ever hope to be.
They are likely truly happier as well.
Matthew 5:8 (NET) - Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com
My friends just returned from a mission trip.
They shared some of their experiences with me.
In reflecting on the things they shared, I could not help but feel overwhelmed.
The remote village to which they traveled was quite poverty stricken.
The people there had very little as far as possessions are concerned.
Home was little more than four walls and a roof that could not even keep out the rain.
A simple bag of food distributed by missionaries to a household would be rationed and stretched to its limit and would last that family several days.
My friends have been sponsoring two children in this country for a number of years.
On this trip, God moved them to sponsor a third child.
Given the opportunity to meet this child, they took her to a zoo in the city.
These were both very new experiences for her.
She delighted in seeing all the different kinds of animals on display at the zoo.
Afterward, they went to a restaurant but were surprised that the child did not wish to eat her meal.
When asked why, she said she wanted to take it home and share it with her family.
This moved my friends who then told her to eat her meal and they promised her that before leaving they would buy food for her family.
Church was also a different experience for them.
The service was held in a structure that is a far cry from the image most people think of when they hear the word "church".
The service also lasted much longer than what most of us are accustomed to.
Singing songs of praise took up much of that time.
God had a surprise for one of my friends.
He was asked to preach.
He had nothing prepared ahead of time and found himself in total reliance upon the Holy Spirit.
Speaking through an interpreter, he delivered the message that God had given him to share.
Why am I sharing this?
Most of us have much more in terms of possessions than the people in this village will ever have.
In regard to food, most of us discard in a few days what families there share in a week.
Even the overall church experience differs.
At the risk of painting with a very broad brush, we expect church to conform to what we expect from it rather than what it is meant to offer us.
Perhaps most revealing was the overwhelming knowledge that those who have so very little are far more grateful than we can ever hope to be.
They are likely truly happier as well.
Matthew 5:8 (NET) - Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com
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