Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Let My Life Be the Proof

It's been a while since I've written anything. Either because I didn't think it was worthy of writing about or there were too many ideas surrounding a certain subject that I couldn't streamline. 


But recently I had a day that I hope I will never forget. I hope my girls won't forget it either. It left a mark on my heart and reminded me of how blessed I am. 


A friend had tossed around the idea of driving around and handing out bottles of cold water and snacks to either the homeless and/or people waiting at bus stops. I mentioned to her that I wanted to go with her. And I'm thankful I did. When we decided on a day, friend said "Thursday". Which happened to also be her birthday. 

Yep. HER BIRTHDAY! This is what she wanted to do on her birthday. I was in awe. 


Thursday afternoon came and the girls and I piled into the car to drive to friends house. My friend provided the bottled water and snacks and I printed up strips of paper with the bible verse John 4:13-15.


13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”
  
So here's two moms, with five kids total, driving around aimlessly. No real destination in mind.  We weren't trying to convert anybody. We weren't wanting to drag anybody to church or baptize them right there in the Trinity River. It was just a gesture of good will and God's love.

We didn't see a whole lot of people at first. Maybe it was the area, maybe it was the time of day. Not sure. But while in the car we asked God to lead us in the direction of where He would want us to go. Put us on the path.

Eventually we had no problem finding those who would be in need of a cold bottle of water, some snack crackers and a friendly smile. 

I'll be the first to admit that I was a little nervous at first. I had never done anything like this before. I wasn't sure what to expect. The kids were all gung ho! And their enthusiasm was contagious. 

After the first few stops I got into the swing of it. After a while us moms were laughing through frustration that the kids were able to show love to others but as soon as they got back in the car they were fighting brothers and sisters over where they were sitting or wanted to sit. 

Isn't that how it usually goes? We are able to show outsiders love more than we show our family?

There were some recipients with trepidation. Or, they asked if we wanted any money. They weren't sure what to make of us just offering water and snacks. I'm not sure what I would think either, to tell you the truth. Not everybody accepted our gift. We certainly couldn't force them to. 

There were two men close to the end of our day I won't forget. They were homeless. One of them had a tracheotomy hole and he had to cover it whenever he spoke. Here were two men on a 100+ degree day, trying to get whatever shade they could from these two small trees. It was painfully obvious that they were hungry for more than water and peanut butter crackers. They were hungry for someone to treat them like the human beings they are. No less loved by God than I am.

I have been forever changed by that afternoon. I am grateful.  



 


"The Proof Of Your Love"

If I sing but don't have love
I waste my breath with every song
I bring an empty voice, a hollow noise
If I speak with a silver tongue
Convince a crowd but don't have love
I leave a bitter taste with every word I say

So let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love
Let my love look like You and what You're made of
How You lived, how You died
Love is sacrifice
So let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love

If I give
To a needy soul but don't have love then who is poor?
It seems all the poverty is found in me

So let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love
Let my love look like You and what You're made of
How You lived, how You died
Love is sacrifice
Oh, let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love

When it's all said and done
When we sing our final song
Only love remains
Only love remains

Let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love
Let my love look like You and what You're made of
How You lived, how You died
Love is sacrifice
So let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love