Moth and Rust and Hurricane

I have been watching a lot of news stories about the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in the past day or so, and I find it really heartbreaking. So many people are being interviewed who are completely distraught because their homes are flooded (some even burned down) and they've lost nearly everything. I can't even imagine what that would feel like...to be forced to leave my home, and to return to find it destroyed along with all of the possessions inside. It must be so unreal.

But even more tragic than the loss of all of those things is the attachment we have to our possessions. I feel that attachment too, as much as I wish I didn't. Of course it's hard to lose everything, and there's no way I can know exactly what that's like because I've never been through it.

Jesus knew of our attachment to material wealth. That's why he said things like "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 13:15) and "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on Earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal" (Matthew 6:19). People (including me) have an unhealthy attachment to wealth and possessions.

I don't mean to be unsympathetic toward the people who are suffering so much in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. I don't mean to disregard the pain that these people are feeling, many of whom have lost their homes and are left with nothing but the clothes on their backs. I'm just saying that this is a reminder to me that things on this earth are temporary. They can be (and often are) destroyed by moth and rust (and hurricane). So what are we to do in light of such knowledge? Jesus says "store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:20).

I hope and pray not only that people will find comfort during this difficult time, but that this will cause some people on the to seriously seek Truth in a time where they've lost everything else. I do not rejoice that this disaster has happened, but if even one person turns to Christ as a result of disaster in their lives, then I think THAT is something to rejoice over, because He is the giver of true life, peace, and hope. <3

The Prostitute that Jesus Loves (and I Should Love, Too)

My job can get really monotonous. Most days I pretty much just stand in one place and do basically the same task over and over for 7.5 hours. It gives me time to think.

Sometimes I just pause and look at the people around me. Maybe this is weird, but sometimes I just watch people for a minute. Working, walking, getting a drink from the drinking fountain (or bubbler for some of my crazy WI friends). My co-workers are a pretty diverse group of people, in terms of race, religion, personality, and age. This might sound odd as well, but watching all these different people doing normal, everyday things just makes me feel so much love for them. Even though at first we all seem to be really different, we're also very much the same in a lot of ways. I think a lot about the beauty of what God created in humans, and the love that He has for us. I was thinking the other day about the fact that God created humans in His own image, which means that in every person is some reflection of who God is. How cool is that? Even people who do not believe in or love the Lord receive so much from Him and are RIDICULOUSLY valuable because they were made by God and are loved by Him.

Which reminds me of Hosea, whom God told to marry a prostitute and remain faithful to her even in her unfaithfulness. I love this picture of what the Lord did/does in the world. The world has been so unfaithful to God, but what is His response? His response is Jesus Christ, down on one knee, saying He wants us anyways. He's essentially proposing to a prostitute, just like Hosea did. Who am I to reject people God loves this much? Who am I to question their worth when God has expressed such a desire for them? It doesn't matter who it is or what they do/have done, because at the end of the day God rescued me from MY hopelessness and depravity so that I could bring good news to others, regardless of THEIR sin.

These are just some thoughts I've been having while working lately. I want to try harder to be really open to getting to know the people around me and to love them well.

Side note: there's a Christian guy who comes in to work sometimes, and while we were working one night we were chatting about how I want to move to Taiwan and he looked at me and said "But you know, there's definitely a mission field right here, too. I definitely ain't here for the money..." It was really encouraging to hear him say that. Sometimes I struggle with thinking "What if I'm supposed to stay right here and reach these people? What if I go off to Taiwan and THIS is where God wants me?" ...but it just made me remember that God is able to raise up laborers wherever He wants to. He can accomplish His purposes without me...but he gives me the honor of being part of loving the people He loves and redeeming the people He wants to redeem. And there's comfort in knowing that even if I leave, there are still people at my job that want to love and invest in the people there, who are willing to be used by God. It's encouraging and strengthening to know that I'm not the only one there with that goal. God is so faithful in bringing His people together to strengthen each other.

Anyways, the point of this whole rambling train of thought: God loves us all. We are all worth a whole lot to him. Because I know that truth, it is my job to love God and love the people around me, whether I happen to be in Brooklyn Park, MN or Taipei, Taiwan. Where I am does not change what my purpose is.