I just got off the phone with one of my millennial coworker friends.
His grandmother died suddenly yesterday of a massive heart attack. Up to the moment of her death, she was believed to be in good health for a person of her age. This young friend lost his grandfather from the other side of the family less than a month ago. My friend is extremely distraught, as you can understand.
I am touched beyond description to realize that he reached out to me with texts and phone calls and I thank the Lord for the opportunity to extend His grace and love into my friend's life in his moment of grief.
Here is how, I believe, he came to reach out to me:
In the, say, half year that I have known him, Evie and I have loved the Lord through him and the mother of his son and step daughter and have shown mercy to them several times.
It is because we are sacrificial in our financial stewardship and don't give to a local church, that we are able to give generously to the least of these people we encounter.
Twice in recent months, in other crises, we have bought gift cards from the grocery store I work at for this couple. When the woman had surgery, we paid their rent for a month.
The age of the youngest person on the Sloat side of the family is 31. Because of that, Christmas is a different sort of holiday for us. Every year, my brother's family and we adopt a family with young children and buy winter coats and Christmas gifts for the children. This year we have adopted my coworkers' children.
Be certain. My young friend and his girlfriend see Jesus and His love and mercy, not Evie and me, in these acts.
One thing that has stunned me since I repented of the Christendom thing and have devoted myself to raw obedience to the life Jesus commands in the Gospels, is the power of that lifestyle. Truly, most of my coworkers see Jesus in what I say and do. I don't understand how that works. I guess that it is the work of the Holy Spirit. But, this is new to me. I never experienced anything like this when I was a pastor. This is new. I hope it never gets old.
Oddly, I don't think that I live obediently that well in the world. So often, I fall short. Clearly, the power of love is amazing if it shines through in my pitiful life!
Just a quick note. It was difficult for me to describe the acts of love we have extended to my friend and his family. I don't want to do my righteousness before others to be seen by them. But, we didn't do what we did for the blessing so we've lost nothing there. Also, one thing I have been convicted of by the Standing Committee is failing to display exemplary piety so I have nothing to lose there either.
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