Bigger Vision

In serving the homeless of Bigger Vision of Athens, the oh-so-faithful Lord served me with a story I had been longing to hear, a desperately needed reality check, and a moment of realization.

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I'd like to think I have a heart for service. I love being able to serve, whether it be serving my family, my sorority sisters, or the less fortunate. Serving has always been a passion of mine, mostly because I love spreading the joy that the Lord has given me. Jesus is the ultimate definition of servant and in trying to be like Him, I aspire to be able to add servant to the list of words that describe me.

My first semester of college, I was asked why I like to serve others and I was surprised to discover that I didn't have an answer. I have served so many times and never once thought about why. I thought about it for a few days, eventually deciding that I wanted to see what the Lord has to say about service. So, I did the typical "flip to a random page and point" thing and the Lord led me straight to Isaiah 42:6-7, to the header "The Servant's Mission."

"I, Yahweh, have called you for a righteous purpose and I will hold you by your hand, I will keep you and appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations, in order to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the dungeons and those sitting in darkness from the prison house."

After reading this, it really sank in that we are here for the sole purpose of serving God and in serving others, we are furthering the Kingdom. We are called to a greater purpose, to serve others and love like He has loved us.

Recently, I got the honor of being able to volunteer with some of my sorority sisters at Bigger Vision of Athens, a local homeless shelter. Upon arriving, we stood waiting for a bit as the hustle and bustle of the end of dinner time ensued.

As the kitchen cleared out, I took a seat with a woman named Demetria. She was excited to talk to me and schooled me on the correct ways to cook meatloaf and the fact that Valentine's Day is just like any other day, as her boyfriend loves her the same every day! We went on and on about anything and everything until she left because "the only thing to do after all the food is gone is to sleep."

Soon after, a man on the younger side of his thirties caught my attention and began talking to us. It appeared as if he hadn't had anyone really talk to him in a while. He introduced himself as Phillip. He had one of the brightest outlooks on life that I had ever seen. He told us that he was from Augusta and he loved it there. We asked him the usual questions, what he liked to do in his spare time and what his favorite foods were, until I asked, "So, what brought you to Athens?". He didn't even blink, just replied that he had been in the hospital for a while. He further explained that he had gone to a hospital in Augusta but was transferred to Athens, not of his own accord. His wife and son and daughter were still in Augusta and he had no way to get home. Still, he was ecstatic as he told us how proud he was of his basketball player son and cheerleading daughter, a huge smile gracing his face. The smile still on his face, he told us how glad he was that he was able to get the last one of the few beds at the shelter. He chronicled the events of his first night out of the hospital when he tried to get a bed and there weren't any available, so he was forced to sleep outside the door in the drizzling rain.

Although Phillip seemed to be going through an extremely rough season of his life, you would have never been able to tell from his positive attitude. Through Phillip, the Lord taught me an invaluable lesson.

He showed me that my struggles of worrying about assignments and little sleep were NOTHING compared to the struggles of the homeless. He gave me the opportunity to see that life really is what you make it. A positive attitude can change EVERYTHING. In that moment, I felt so utterly humbled by the Lord. I realized that there are bigger battles to be fought than the Spanish homework that may be taking over my mind. That night, He gave me a reality check that I desperately needed in order to be able to get some kind of perspective on my situation. This season may be hard and exhausting, but there is ALWAYS a bright side and a better attitude. There is always the joy of the Lord. There is always a chance to find rest in His loving arms.

"The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will himself also call out and not be answered." Proverbs 21:13

Part of being a servant of the Lord is serving those less fortunate . In an effort to be more like Christ, the church must serve both the Lord and each other. We have to be each other's support system. We HAVE to come together as the body of Christ.

So, why is it that people of the church scoff at those who are homeless and needy? Why is it that the people who preach service often become the people who never lend a hand or a few dollars? Why are the homeless STILL living on the streets?

In closing, I'd like to ask you what you can do to serve in your season of life right now. How can you love on your friends, your family, your campus?

We were all made in the image of Jesus no matter what choices we make or what vices we turn to. We can rest in the fact that our Father is SO, so full of grace and forgiveness. He is so good and He wants you! He longs to be your best friend and walk with you through life.

I encourage you this week to go out of your way and serve someone. There is no better way to show the love of God than being a faithful servant to someone in need.