something with which I have been challenged recently is to serve others. more specifically, the less fortunate. after reading only the gospel of Luke, I wonder how Christians can ignore this constant calling of Christ. throughout Luke, Jesus tells parables and teachings about the less fortunate, stressing how they will be first in the kingdom of God. He then urges His followers to make them first now, here on earth. One example of such a teaching is his teaching on choosing the lowest chair so that you may move up when called upon rather than choosing the highest chair and not just being forced to move to the next best one, but being forced to move all the way to the bottom as was the custom. (see Jeff Manion's sermon from this past Sunday, entitled the Chair Game for the cultural connotations of this teaching).
then i stop wondering. i look at myself and realize that i don't want to respond to this teaching of Jesus because it is HIGHLY uncomfortable. and that's nowadays. back in Jesus' time, 15% or so of the people were of the upper class and the rest were of the lower class. the comfort level division was MUCH HIGHER than the comfort level division between middle class me and the poor (no middle class in Jesus' time). but i've been constantly challenged to start serving uncomfortably. to start living generously. this comes from the Bible, my sociology class, and three books I have read recently (Surprised by Hope, the Living Church, and the Irresistible Revolution). In Surprised by Hope, the author, N. T. Wright says socioeconomic differences are the worst problem in society right now, worse than sexual immorality.
That being the case, I can't ignore it anymore. I can't be comfortable serving just those of the middle class, I have to reach out. So I'm starting small. I'm going to start serving meals twice a week at a ministry for the less fortunate in the Grand Rapids area. I've been praying about it for a while, and I feel as though this is the first step in which the Lord is leading me. Who knows what will happen, but I'm excited to follow the Lord's calling. I don't know if anyone reads this yet as I just got a blog, but, if you do, I mean for this post to be a challenge to you and to myself. I also mean for it to be a way in which you can pray for me. thanks.
