This is how we’ve come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. — 1 John 3:16-17 MSG
When Allen asked if I could drive him to church, he also asked if he could hang out for the day because at the time he was living in a homeless shelter that closed for daytime hours. I knew what I was supposed to do. But there was still a choice to make.
Allen and I met through work when he was hired to do woodwork. At the time he was living with his daughter and grandson in a trailer they rented. He shared some of his life story and some of his past experience with church. I knew Blue Ridge would be an eye opening revelation of grace if he would come.
I casually asked a few times if he wanted to come to church. While we had he and his daughter over for dinner once or twice, he never made it to church with us. After just a few weeks, he was laid off from work, but we stayed in touch. He expressed interest in coming to church to “get that part of his life straight,” but it wasn’t until he was in a homeless shelter and needed a place to go on Sundays that he asked if I could pick him up for church.
I knew this would be an ongoing need and more than just a ride to church. My Sundays are generally freed up for church, relaxing or whatever I wanted, and I really liked that freedom. But I knew Allen needed church and a place off the streets, so I agreed to pick him up and take it week by week.
We picked him up almost every Sunday for the first couple of months. We would take him to Church, bring him to our home for lunch and take him to the grocery store. He was appreciative and seemed to enjoy church. He soon got an apartment and no longer “needed” a place to go on Sundays.
Now he had the choice to make.
I was happy that he still wanted to come to church, and this is when I started to see a difference in him. It’s hard to explain, but I could see growth in his devotion toward God.
We have continued to pick Allen up for church at least twice a month and now I am witnessing his life come back together. He has been very thankful, but I honestly do not feel like I did anything special.
What are you supposed to do when someone in need asks for something you have?
One way we can meet needs is through Blue Ridge Caring Ministries. Learn more at blue-ridge.org/serve.
Read Allen’s story on blue-ridge.org/blog.