More precious than gold
RUBY
More precious than gold.
That is what she was to me tonight and that is what she is to God. For he knew her before she was born. Every hair on her head, every crack in her heart. Her joys and sorrows. Her successes and failures.
He collects her tears and restores her to joy.
The third Friday of the month is “Bridge Ministry” in downtown Houston. It is a ministry that is spearheaded by the college students at University Heights Baptist Church in Huntsville Texas. It is a ministry that is near and dear to my heart. It is one of the places I watch the church body fulfill what it looks like to be the hands and feet of Jesus taking “the church” out of the church building and meeting the needs of broken people, just like you and me, where they are.
Will you meet me there? God sure does.
I am a trenches girl. I love the homeless, the addict, the outcast. The sinner just like me. I frequently hear the Holy Spirit say, “That could have been you.” Have you ever wondered why God spared some and not all from our stupid choices? God uses each of our stories and stupid choices and consequences to meet the needs of others. Just as we are uniquely created, our stories are uniquely ours. I am ashamed to say that I can’t say every time I have an opportunity to serve in the trenches, I am just jumping up and down to give up my time and frankly, my energy, but I can say that every time I am faithful to obey, God opens the flood gate of blessing.
What!!! It is not really about mE and my self-sacrifice?
Nope, it is not about me and my self-sacrifice that could quickly turn to pride if I am not careful. When we meet the needs of others, we definitely bless them but, you see, it is common for people, me included, to get caught up in the giving and miss out on the receiving. Receiving how God wants to use “the least of these” to bless us. We can climb up on our self righteous “giving” tree and lose sight of the heart God calls us to have when we serve. We can become prideful in all we do to help others and taint our heart. I don’t know about you, but it is my experience that when I serve or give, I am always the greatest receiver.
Some have entertained angels
Tonight was no different. My heart has been wrecked the past few weeks and I was not really in the mood to go. My desire to be faithful, which really sounded more like my husbands insistence, eventually over powered my self-centeredness. Then along came Ruby. I had not seen Ruby down there before and I don’t believe in coincidences anyway. I believe God puts people in our lives for a purpose. My greatest encounter with angels has been in the trenches. The broken places, with broken people. It is where I know beyond a shadow of a doubt God has allowed me to entertain angels through service. (Hebrews 13:2). Angels God has used to minister to this broken wreck of a woman.
Living Water
“But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:24
Ruby had gone through the serving line quite a few times before I had an opportunity to really speak to her. When I finished handing out the bags for the men and women to put their food in, I noticed her again, standing off to the side drinking a bottle of water. I walked over to her and the first thing she said to me was “I am so grateful for this water. We can’t live without water.” She went on to tell me how she was given a hotel room for a night and it had running water so she was able to take a shower and how thankful she was for the water and the ability to get clean.
My recent mission trip to Honduras flashed before my eyes and before I could stop myself I was sharing with her how the people of Honduras often do not have clean, safe water to drink, how they collect the rain water for themselves, their animals and their crops, how they sometime are without running water for long periods of time and are forced to bathe and wash clothes in rivers filled with disease. Then I reminded her how blessed we are here in the United States. The irony that I was telling that to a woman who lives on the streets and does not have unlimited access to water and a shower was not lost on me.
This beautiful conversation soon turned to Jesus Christ as the living water that feeds our soul. She opened up and shared her heartache and loss. Through the entire conversation her hopes and dreams centered on helping others. Troubled youth get off the street, crack addiction, helping the homeless with resources were just a few of the things on her heart. Here she was, living on the street, standing in line to have her BASIC needs met, ie. food and clothing, yet, her heart was full of gratitude for water and she has a servants heart for others who are hurting. She certainly, unknowingly ministered to my hurting heart.
Can you say SPOILED BRAT?
That is how I was feeling. That feeling, the prick of my heart from the Holy Spirit, led me to repentance, that ultimately led me to gratefulness. Gratefulness that God loves me enough to send a homeless woman, (an angel, a precious ruby) to speak hope and gratitude into my life from the streets of Houston. We prayed together and then hugged. It was if we were both holding on for dear life, neither of us ready to let go. Cleansing tears and broken hearts. Two women from completely different back grounds, different skin color and different socioeconomic situations. Brought together by a God who created us both in His image as daughters of the King of Kings. Precious in his sight. Rubies more precious that gold.
I had a few take aways from that encounter.
I am not the only one suffering loss, and as lonely and abandoned as I have felt through my grief over the loss of Chris, I am not living on the streets trying to cope with my grief among strangers.
Like my new friend Ruby, we should be grateful for the things that truly matter like water that nourishes both our body and soul.
When I am faithful to go where God has called, I have never been able to out give or out serve the blessings God pours out on me in those moments. The grace he shows me when my heart nips at the edges of pride.
Perspective that aligns with God’s promises breeds hope.
With Love,
Chrissy