What Good Is the Church Anyway?
Loving service makes us credible in the eyes of the world.
Katie, center, and her family
For some reason one of the stories which has impacted me the most recently has been that of Katie Davis.
Sometimes people wonder what good the Church and Christians serve. A large part of the world can’t imagine life continuing beyond this life, so what good is the Church? A social club? A crutch for the weak? All that is okay. For many people, one religion is as good as another. Just as long as you believe something.
I won’t even comment on that beyond noting that if you said, “One answer is as good as another, just as long as you work at it,” to your math teacher, you probably wouldn’t impress him with your intelligence. And you probably wouldn’t rejoice at your grade at the end of the year.
But, I think one thing impresses everyone—loving service that has no other agenda but to please God and help others. Here’s a case in point.
This story comes from Glamour magazine’s online edition. Glamour’s Women of the Year Awards honors the celebrities, politicians, local leaders, and athletes who helped empower and inspire women each year. Their winner for the year 2012? Here’s the announcement …
“After nearly 700,000 votes right here on glamour.com, you guys picked the incredible Katie Davis, 24. Her story:
“At 19, Davis was so inspired by a trip to an orphanage in Uganda that she dropped a bombshell on her Brentwood, Tennessee, family: She was moving there.
“What she’s done since is breathtaking. Davis’ nonprofit, Amazima Ministries International (http://www.amazima.org/), connects 600 vulnerable children with sponsor families worldwide and feeds 1,500 kids a week. Davis herself is adopting 13(!) daughters, ages 4 to 16—a feat she chronicles in her memoir, Kisses From Katie. “I never intend anyone to think, Wow, I want to do what she does,” says Davis. “Service is just about saying yes to the people around you who need your help.”
Katie’s motivation is her love and commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. Christian Post picks up the story.
“People tell me I am brave. People tell me I am strong. People tell me good job. Well here is the truth of it. I am really not that brave, I am not really that strong, and I am not doing anything spectacular. I am just doing what God called me to do as a follower of Him. Feed His sheep, do unto the least of His people, Katie says.
“Offering a glass of water, a welcoming smile, a story of redemption or giving someone a place to belong is treating everyone with love just as Jesus lived,” Davis said. “For a glimpse of the Savior in us, as Christians, (we) can change the world one person at a time… And if he can use me. He can use you.” (www.christianpost.com)
When the Church obeys the Lord, people take notice.
So, friends, we’re having great person practice. Anyone interested in being being great should show up early. Practice is being held in the Church nursery, in the old folks’ home, down there with the orphan children, out with the evangelism team. We’ve got a few sites where people baby sit for free so that struggling young couples can take an evening together.
We’ve also got a few places left for people at work who help others, even when they’re off the clock. Oh yeah, we’re looking for mechanics to repair single mom’s cars when they break down and the lady has no money to repair it. And also … (here you supply what the Holy Spirit brings to your imagination).
Serve. That’s what Jesus did.
“Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage.” (The Message)
When I read Katie’s story it doesn’t make me want to go out and adopt 13 kids. But, it does make we want to turn my game up a notch in what God has called to do.
“Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.” –Jesus. (from Matthew 5, The Message)
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Have a little think on this …
Richard Rohr:“We do not think ourselves into new ways of living, we live ourselves into new ways of thinking.”
Christine Caine: “Jesus didn’t ask for heroes. He asked for laborers.”
100% of shark attacks happen near water (Passed on by Joe McCrary)
www.microsoftoffice.com
Have you seen this?
Have You Seen This?
https://davidscoffeestains.com/2007/11/17/lost-in-paris
I suspect we owe that, at least in part, to a Frenchman. Pierre L’enfant, designed Washington City, the capital of the infant nation, more or less like that and I think that many cities must have copied the plan. I also suspect L’enfant may have done it like this because he was born in Paris, and may have spent a good part of his young life lost, looking for the right street.
Paris is a 2000+ year old lady. I’m sure there is some kind of logic in her street plan but I must admit that it escapes me. If you miss your street in Paris and try to take the next right to make up for your error, you may find yourself in Belgium, or Strasbourg, or Marseille before you get turned around.
Read MORE– https://davidscoffeestains.com/2007/11/17/lost-in-Paris