I’ve often wondered how different my life would be if I practically lived out Matthew 25:31-46. This portion of scripture is where Jesus is talking about the final judgement and how those that took care of people in need were welcomed into His kingdom and those who had not were condemned to death. This verse is what the Lord has been putting on my heart, which is causing me to look for ways to minister to those people around me. “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ A few verses before this Jesus is shares the ways we can minister to those around us in need and He talks about visiting those who are in prison, clothing those that are naked, hungry and so on.
So, the question is, in what ways can I be Jesus to my neighbours and show love to them? I didn’t need to wait very long to see how to do that. Being part of the GFA Discipleship Program has given me many opportunities bless those around me which has brought much joy. As we were preparing for our first Community Outreach Event there was a growing anticipation in my heart and a bit of hesitation as well for what it would look like to interact with our neighbours. When it comes to crowds I get nervous and want to be behind the scenes; this wasn’t possible because I was assigned to lead the children activities.
Much prayer and seeking the Lord was done beforehand to see what would spark an interest in our community and when all was said and done we hosted a Free Pancake Breakfast. There was much planning and prepping beforehand, making sure all the details came together and it seemed to bring our own home office even more together in getting everything ready, which was an added blessing. Many hands really do make work light.
The morning of our Community Event, which was in celebration of Canada’s 150th Birthday, came bright and early with both energetic and sleepy people to help setup for this special time. Soon our neighbours started coming and what fun it was to meet and greet everyone.
Our morning was filled with delicious pancakes, good conversations, colouring contest and a pancake race for children of all ages. We were able to share a meal with our neighbours and show them the love of Jesus and it was over way to soon. There was such excitement inside my heart with how we had been able to bless our community that I am ready for the next event with less hesitation. My heart was filled with joy and I was not at all waiting for the morning to be done.