Ministry

So many times we say that people need Jesus in their lives, but what that means? Today I was actually teaching an old lady on the bus how to fight for the right thing to happen! Our conversation had some turn and tears showed up in her eyes when she started to speak that she struggles financially to have enough food on her table. Holy Spirit convicted me in my heart of my pride, of my tendency to be "know-it-all" girl. I was humbled.
 People complain about different sorts of things, mostly starting and ending up in blaming government for not doing something for us, for not caring about our daily lives or not having idea about what struggles we are facing day after day. But it all comes down to that fact that we need someone to be around to help with our struggles, we need each other - not the government. The question popped up in my mind: "Do I know what people around me actually need or am I simply seeing everyone as sinful heathens and judging them for not knowing Jesus?" Am I a Pharisee or the follower and disciple of Jesus?
Ministry. What does it actually mean to minister, to be a follower of Jesus, to be His disciple? Is it just talking about how one needs God and He will help one in some supernatural way, like bringing manna from the sky? Today, I have that sneaky feeling in my heart that we just got it all wrong: we talk to much and do too little. It needs to be put in the right places: we need to do more and to talk less. We need to learn to listen and to see. We need to actually start to give our lives as a living sacrifice for those in need. We need to stop being super spiritual, and get down to earth and see what we need to do for those around us because true Christianity lies in living your faith not in a prayer room (there is a place and time for spiritual disciplines in our lives), but out there in a world where we are called to be the salt and the light. God has given us everything we need. God IS everything we need: He is our perfect parent who adopted us through Jesus, He is our perfect Lover who fullfils our emotional needs, He is our perfect Boss who has it all under control. We are in a wonderful company of trust and comfort, and support, and provision when we are with Him and in Him. But... we need to be out there working with Him in the lives of people who don't know His love. And we have to do this not through talking, but through doing, through meeting the needs of those around us: financial, material, emotional or spiritual. To do that we need to start looking around, and communicating with people, hearing them.
Start small.
Don't look far.
Start from your own house, your neighbours.
Look around.
Notice.
Pray.
Go.
Be simple and loving.
And may God of all grace be with you.

A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth. 

(Proverbs 17:24)