"Veteran Needs Help"

Luke 14:12-14

12Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

We live in this world that demands that we have all the newest and coolest trends so that we can function in normal society, but do we really have to own the newest CD, video game, or clothing trend so that we can be liked?

We take advantage of all the things that God has blessed us with on a daily basis. We have food in the fridge, clothes for our back, and a bed to sleep in. But there are people out there that don’t have these comforts. Even here in Hawaii I drive past bus stops and see people sleeping on the benches late at night, outside the lead center on the side of the road there is a man that holds a sign that say’s “Veteran needs help” he is struggling just to find food.

When I read this verse I almost felt a sense of guilt. I see these people everyday and I never even think of lifting a finger to help them out in their times of need. Sometimes I feel that when I help someone out that they now in turn owe me a favor, but why do I demand that they owe me? Why can I not just help them because it is the right thing to do?

I don’t necessarily need to give them the shirt off my back but there are many things that I can do to help those that are less fortunate. Even getting to know them would be a start. I once saw a book in borders about a photographer that went out and took pictures of all the homeless people in his city and just got to know them. Those people then wrote those feelings of joy that someone would want to get to know them into the book.

Something that small could be so significant.

God, today I just pray that I can be more loving to those around me and that I can be a servant to those that are in a time of need. Please be with me when I build friendships with those people and that you give me the right tools to be a light to them. In Jesus Name

Amen.