Unclean – Part 2

“The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:9

Yesterday I shared how the Lord dealt with my unclean heart toward another believer. Then I read something by A.W. Tozer and realized I was not done with thinking this through.

I honor those of you who go forth sharing God’s love with strangers, with the hard-to-love, the unlovely. The smelly, dirty, unkempt, homeless folks you come across—the mentally ill, the socially inept, the abusers and lawbreakers of this world—and even those who might take advantage of our kindness (for some reason, this we are generally unwilling to do.) You share the love of God by humbly extending the hand of friendship and care to them. Whether they respond or not, you still give, expecting nothing in return.

Agape.

Likewise, I honor those of you who have gone to be witnesses to the uttermost parts of the earth, where you do not understand the language or culture, where the food and water make you sick, where you are possibly misunderstood or ill-treated, where you are filled with doubt and uncertainty, living uncomfortably or even in fear.

Agape.

For those of us who avoid encounters with these people, or simply have not yet reached out, who indeed feel we cannot for whatever reason, I offer A.W. Tozer’s words. See if they elbow you in the ribs as they did me.

“I scorn a happiness that I must purchase with ignorance. I reject a heaven that I must enter by shutting my eyes to the sufferings of my fellowmen.” (From The Next Chapter after the Last.)

Oh, how at ease we are when our minds and hearts are shut so we can’t see what is ugly, malformed, diseased. When our hands have a death grip around our money and possessions, our time, our reputations. When we guard our privacy as if all the world was prying and peeking into our personal business. “Stay away,” we warn with our expressions, our downcast eyes, our arms tightly wrapped around our Bibles and purses.

Oh ladies, when will we let go of what has been abundantly given to us? When will we readily part with what seems so important at this moment, so that others may also be blessed—or even saved from an eternity in hell, or perhaps a hell on earth?

You may not have money to give, but you have prayers, friendship, a touch, a voice. You have a great salvation, a strong Savior, and the love of God. You have encouragement, comfort, or words of wisdom that come from experience or knowledge of the Scriptures.

Am I happily ignorant of the sufferings of others? Does my indulgence of my fear and bias mean others will go without the material or spiritual basics?

Am I so shut up in my world that I can’t see yours?

Perhaps, as in Philippians 4:10, you do care for others, but you have lacked opportunity. Ask God to show you where you can serve, what you can do, and maybe what opportunity you have overlooked that has been right in front of you.

Lord, give us a deep love for the least of these, that we may gladly, joyfully give back to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.