Last Sunday my church started handing out cardboard boxes for us to fill up with a grocery checklist of food necessities for the poor. We gave the ready-to-deliver “Food Paks” to Children’s Hunger Fund so that they could respond to needs in the Los Angeles community down near Grace Community Church, as well as across America and around the world. As the instructions on the booklet told us, this is just one of many ways to help children and families in need, all in response to what Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

The verse printed on the outside of the box was Psalm 145:13-16 :

“The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.”

For more information about how you can help CHF, visit ChildrensHungerFund.org.

Another comment I overheard that night, ”I just knew they’d come!” came from a smiling middle-aged man to his friend as we stopped at his street, making our announcement about the free blankets and hot drinks. More highlights: The woman who we gave a baby’s blanket to because a kind young mom from my work had donated it; the man who special-requested a sleeping bag that we were able to provide for after one was generously donated by Matt’s coworker; the enthusiastic responses from three ladies I work with who want to come along next time we go. One lady down the hall mentioned checking if the local Starbuck’s stores would consider each donating one of the large catering containers for us to give out on a cold night. It gets me fired up to see other people coming on board to a beneficial cause. Beneficial not only to the recipients of the gifts, but sometimes much more to the giver. Interesting how that works.

A lot of amazing things happen when you put together something like this and invite people to participate. I’m not one to force my beliefs on others, and I know that can certainly turn into a prideful excuse for not speaking up about an issue when I know I should, but when I exercise the God-given ability and motivation to do something out of the ordinary, I suddenly find that people have genuine questions, to which I have the opportunity and obligation to respond. One of the simplest responses I’ve been able to use in this case is just to explain that the homeless guy on the street, even the drug addict or the prostitute, is a picture of who I am in front of a holy God, who would still be perfectly justified if he had never reached out to help me.

And my response to those who have questions can all go back to the joy and hope that is within me, that no one can take away. One of the exciting points about 1 Peter 3:15, when talking about honoring Jesus Christ by “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you,” is the assumption that people are actually going to ask questions. The most likely way you’re going to have people ask questions is if you’re different, and that had better be in a good way, not some obnoxious, personal preference issue, but I’d rather not go into those specifics here. A quick side note about the Apostle Peter’s charge in 3:15 is to notice that he cautions the believer to “do it with gentleness and respect,” which far too many Christians completely miss. I think it was Tim Chaddick of Reality LA in Hollywood that was suggesting how one of the biggest ways people come to Christianity is by what they saw and wanted in the life of a Christian they knew; ironically that happens to also be the biggest reason people reject Christianity, after observing hypocrisy in the life of someone claiming to be a Christian. And yet of course there is no formula for convincing people to become a Christian, because the Bible repeatedly nails down the truth that God does the work in someone’s heart, even though the believer may have the honor of verbally explaining it as they live out Christianity with their actions. I could say or do all I want, or give the strongest possible intellectual defense for Christianity, and that is beneficial in the right context, but it’s certainly not enough to change someone’s heart. Christians are to go do the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20, but success for the believer, thankfully, does not depend on the audience’s response to the message.  A Christian does what the Bible calls them to do, faithfully living it out as a way of life, then the end result, whatever it may be, is left up to God, who has his reasons in all that he does and allows. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.” (Isaiah 55:8).

I can point out plenty of different reasons how someone ended up living on the streets, and I can easily think of reasons why I wouldn’t take the time to go down there and help out in some small way, but it’s often a bunch of excuses I have when I really think about it. Because if I’m sitting here on my couch judging how that homeless lady or man ended up stuck on the streets after the choices they made in their past (which is a stereotype in itself and often not so simple as you expect), and I refuse to go in and help, doesn’t that say I’m just better than them? I’m too important to do something that low? As a Christian… so much for Jesus’ words, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink…”

Something that I found really amusing and so true because of the irony was what Francis Chan said one week at Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley. He was talking about the responses we have when we hear about needs of the poor, and saying that some people are waiting for this call from God that they should go care for the needy. And you have to ask those people (including myself), did God call you to watch TV today? Then… what were you doing? In other words, it’s silly that we think some Christians have this special light from Heaven come down and pick them to go serve. To actually do what Jesus said. And the other Christians don’t have to because they didn’t get this calling from God. What are we thinking? And I’ll let this be a challenge to myself for the countless times I ignore the poor, saying I don’t have time (more accurately: I don’t make time. It’s all in my priorities). Yeah, putting it in writing brings out the truth of how weak that argument is. I don’t know about you but that’s convicting. Now I didn’t say “Go move to another country,” or “Sell your house tomorrow,” although that might be what some should seriously do. And neither would I tell you to go do this specific activity in this specific location; just look around you. Secondly, I’m addressing those who wear the name “Christian,” because I wouldn’t expect others to care for the poor when they don’t have a real reason to do it. Actually quite the opposite with Darwin’s concept of natural selection, from Herbert Spencer’s “survival of the fittest,” and the whole idea of  human life coming about by chance, therefore why waste time and effort trying to prevent the natural dying out of those who are weak? A very sad and prideful way of thinking. Instead, I’m talking about the basic Christian response to what Jesus constantly talked about and lived out in regards to the hurting and needy people around him.

(based on: Matthew 25:31-46)