We often make excuses for ignoring the needs of others around us: “I can barely make it myself!” and “I don’t have the time!” One thing that I have not seen about Jesus is that He never ignored the needs of others and indeed, everyone’s need was provided for (including His own and the disciples) I am immensely proud of our family at LifePoint Christian Church because we don’t ignore the needs of the hungry in our community.
Not only have I seen people helping each other inside the family of believers at LifePoint, but we also care for the needs of the hungry at Grace and Grits as well as partner with The Rise Community Church to insure the homeless school children at Lake Mary Elementary school are fed so they can study and grow. Why do we meet these physical needs? For the same reason that Jesus met people right where they were in life and cared for their physical needs…..because we (as was Jesus) are concerned about the wellbeing of every aspect of people’s lives, both physical and spiritual.
Mark 6:38-40 (TNIV)
38 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five–and two fish.” 39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.
Jesus’ compassion for hungry people is recorded in all four Gospels. He knew that feeding a hungry heart is the first step in feeding a hungry soul. When you look at this picture of Jesus and the disciples out on this grassy plain, I want you to notice something……..it is not a building that is feeding people….it is people feeding people. The CHURCH is the people….us, followers of Jesus that are charged with loving a lost and hungry world. As we work to bring wholeness to people’s lives we must never ignore the fact that all of us have physical as well as spiritual needs.
There is no better way to share God’s love than breaking bread (eating) together! Jesus told the disciples in Mark 6:37, “You give them something to eat”.
Great idea! Yes, I think I will <smile>