Choosing to step outside my Cambodian door I am met by Khmer people whose occupation title reads “begging.” Little boys, girls, moms, aunties and uncles…missing limbs, blind, deaf, uneducated. They put out their bowls and make the global “need rice” signal.
I have a desire to help them.
That desire, however, is kind of scary.
As my teammate Ellie eloquently put it in this blog:
“Do you want to know what I'm really scared of?
That if I stop and listen to you, I'll care.
And caring requires sacrifice.”
So, I push down all desire to give and distract myself.
Let me walk on by, push my way through, ignore your questioning eyes.
{I may give you a few seconds of my time, though. What’s your favorite color, what’s your name, how do you like the weather, how’s your health?}
You want me to buy you a meal? Too busy.
Help you in any other way – are you kidding me?
Yet, the Lord’s echoing voice constantly makes me question if that’s REALLY cool with Him. ‘Cause frequently I see Him having compassion on the desperate, instead of despising them.
When describing the Judgment scene when all the nations will be brought together in front of the Father, Jesus says:
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
Matthew 25:34-36
Whoa.
I step outside of my door everyday, and I can feed the KING. Not just a king but the King of all kings, Lord of all lords…and I have just begun to describe His Glorious nature.
I do NOT want to miss out on this opportunity.
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Matthew 25:40
In Cambodia, the beggars are pretty obvious. In your hometown, they are just as real too…although you might miss them if you don’t look. I’m going to challenge you to get outside of your circle, or maybe even stay within it, and see where there is hunger.
Give the King your loving gifts of food, clothes, water and maybe even a cake – today.
