To the Least of These

We each have gifts and talents bestowed upon us by the Lord, and we have been called to use them for His glory.   In Romans 12, we see some words of encouragement about being faithful to exercise those gifts:
6Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;7or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching;8he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.9Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
This passage can help us reflect on our usefulness to God - you see, each of us has a special purpose, and we have been wired in a certain way so that we can bring glory to God by appropriating what He has entrusted to us.  We are not only called to serve, but there are certain ways in which God intends for us to serve.   We can be encouraged that we can discover incredible meaning in our lives as we are determined to bring honor to our Lord and King by walking in obedience to Him.

In Matthew 25, Jesus taught on obedience as it pertains to serving others, especially those in need of compassion and ministry:
34Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:35for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;36I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'37Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?38When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?39Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'40And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'

Chico and Debbie Jimenez have retired from their management jobs.  She is 52 years old and was an auto parts store manager. He is 60 and a retired construction manager. Together, they now operate a ministry based in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.  For the past year, they have been feeding more than 100 people who are homeless in Daytona Beach.   According to an NBCNews.com story, every Wednesday, they have set up shop at Manatee Island Park to offer home-cooked meals.

Last week, they were each fined more than $300 each for violating a local ordinance. They have been threatened with arrest and incarceration if they offer any more meals. Debbie is quoted as saying that one of their homeless friends, "said that Wednesday is just not going to be Wednesday anymore...We were given 10 days to either pay the fine or tell them we're going to court. We’re going to court. The police don’t like it. But how can we turn our backs on the hungry? We can’t.”

Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood said the couple had been warned one week earlier to stop their weekly feeding sessions after some local residents complained.  He said that, "We as a city have spent millions of dollars to turn that park into a place for families, kids and dog lovers...We have an ordinance that says when people want to perform acts of kindness or charity that they must coordinate with our local social service agencies."

Hopefully, there is a solution here.  Chico said, “We've been down there a year, and the police have been around and not one of them has ever said one word...This time, the police said we are creating more homeless people by feeding them in the park, that we are enabling them by giving them one meal in a week. Does that make sense to you?"

There does seem to be national trend regarding how best to feed the homeless.  According to a report co-released by the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, during the past seven years Gainesville, Fla., began “enforcing a rule limiting the number of meals that soup kitchens may serve to 130 people in one day;” Phoenix, Ariz., “used zoning laws to stop a local church from serving breakfast to community members, including many homeless people, outside a local church;” and Myrtle Beach, S.C., “adopted an ordinance that restricts food sharing with homeless people in public parks.”

And, in Birmingham, according to a story on the ChristianNews.net website about 2 months ago, two ministries who were feeding homeless people in Linn Park were told to stop their feeding activities, based on a new law requiring food trucks to receive a permit.  Mayor William Bell has said, according to AL.com, thtat the city isn't opposed to groups aiding the homeless, but it is working on a broader effort that addresses homeless issues that extend beyond providing meals.

He pointed out that the city is "trying to set up a system where we can track the food that's been given to the homeless and the health and safety of the homeless."

Bell said a coordinating agency has been established to provide holistic service by pooling all groups and efforts. The mayor said experts on homelessness prefer that groups work in unison rather than doing small feedings alone.

I think these stories do highlight the enormous need to reach out to the destitute in our communities, including the homeless.   There are ministries all across our land who are involved in this critical work, and I trust that solutions can be found that can effectively provide transformative services to those who are down and out.  
These stories do highlight some tension between ministries who desire to serve the Lord and civil authorities who are attempting to find solid solutions, as well.

And, the stories can also remind us as believers to think about how we are serving.   There are individuals and churches who are dedicated to serving in a variety of ways, including reaching out to the homeless, going into prisons, tending to medical needs of families, and so much more - we are seeing a literal manifestation of Matthew 25, when Jesus spoke about "the least of these."  And, as the world looks on and sees our compassion, we make a compelling case for the gospel.

I do feel for Chico and Debbie in Daytona Beach - I don't know if they'll be feeding today.   But, I do have to hand it to them - they are finding God's joy in retirement.  They retired early, apparently to do ministry.   And, I think their story can challenge all of us to be committed to serving Christ when our current season of employment is over.  Retirement planning is a critical area, and you'll likely hear Christian financial experts such as Howard Dayton discuss that topic.  But, beyond the physical, there are spiritual implications - and it is so gratifying to see those who have exited the workforce in their later years use the time that has been freed up to serve more effectively.

We can each be challenged to examine the way we are using our time and to go before the Lord, asking Him to direct our steps into the activity that He has ordained for us.