“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; When you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ … if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darness and your gloom be as the noonday.” Isaiah 58:6-10
For the past two months the Lord has been putting a deep desire in my heart to care for the people that are talked about in the above passage. I’ve heard, and read many times that we ought to care for the poor, the widowed, and the fatherless, but it seems that until the past couple months I’ve never realized the need that we are called to fill.
Last Thursday I was reminded of the passage above and needed to do something. I wept for these people, first for their need, then because I realize how little I do for them. So, as little as it seemed at the timed, I went and bought a bag of apples and 5 pairs of gloves. Then went on a walk around the city looking for people to give these small gifts to.
I found a man by the bus station, curled up in a corner wearing an old military coat. I walked up to him and asked him if he was cold. He said, “Of course I am!
I asked him if he had any gloves and he responded, “How can I wear gloves, I don’t have any hands!”
Then I asked him if he had eaten. He replied, “No.” So I asked him if he would like an apple. He said yes but said that I would need to hold the apple for him so he could eat it.
I picked one out of our bag and held my hand out as I watched him take his first bite. As he ate the apple out of my hand I realized that something was missing from what I’m doing here. I walked away with my roommate silent, praying that more people would come and hold the apple for this guy. I wonder where he is right now.
Ben (on staff with Campus Crusade)
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