It’s what Jesus was talking about in Matthew 25; “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.” The ones on his right, his sheep, will have looked a needy person in the eye, and met their need. The ones on his left, the goats, will have looked the other way, or maybe, they will have been religious and just paid someone else to look at those in need.
That’s what I’m learning. We all have a picture of inner city ministry looks like, right? Gangs? Violence? Baggy clothes? Drugs? Getting cussed at? Teen pregnancy? High school dropouts? Abortion? Loud music? I mean, we’ve heard the statistics, and we’ve seen the movies right? But that’s not knowledge!
I was hanging out with a 15-year-old girl a few weeks ago. She’s been around SOZO for a while, obviously hungry for hope and some good news. I didn’t really know her, but I felt the call to make an investment in her. She asked me about my life, how I ended up in Tacoma, why I do what I do. As I was explaining that I love young people because I know they have a need for truth that I haven’t seen anywhere else, I believe God is calling them to levels of understanding and revelation not seen before, they are the ones to bring the nations of the earth back to their King. She interrupted, “Good, because I need lots of help. I have a secret.” I said Okay, she could tell me if she wanted to.
“I’m pregnant.”
No amount of awareness makes that moment easy. Abandonment has a face. Deep heartache has a face. Teenage pregnancy has a face. That is knowledge.
She told me last week that she lost the baby. I love her, and would never judge or condemn her, but it’s hard for her to believe that. I wonder if that’s the truth. Maybe abortion has a face too.
Do the statistics you’ve heard have faces? Jesus calls us to love the orphans, to feed and clothe them. Your statistics need a face. Jesus wasn’t joking around when he told us to preach the gospel to ALL nations. Has your nation heard?
The Lord has a passion and a fire and an urgency and a GREAT love that he wants to give you so that you can feed and clothe and preach. Take hold of it, and don’t let go. Your statistics are about to get a face…and it’s a beautiful one.
