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'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' Matthew 25:40b
One of the clearest teachings in Scripture is the charge that we are responsible for our sisters and brothers. The expectation is that all that we have and all that we are is God’s. It is not for our pleasure and prosperity, but is to be shared. It’s not even debated; it’s accepted as fact. I know it’s popular in today’s world to argue that God rewards the righteous with worldly prosperity; that, if you are faithful, you deserve all that stuff with which we so willingly surround ourselves. I have yet to find that in Scripture, but I hear it echoed from the mouths of many who purport to preach the Gospel! We live in a world community where the disparity between rich and poor is almost obscene [and where we, in this country, are mostly “the rich”]. We claim a Christian heritage as a nation, and see ourselves often as “the Promised Land”, and believe we are to bring the Gospel to all the world. I believe the challenge we face is: How do we teach the abundance of God’s blessings unless we freely share our gifts with others? If we are to be “a covenant to the people, a light to the nations” [Isaiah 46:6b], we are to show the world a different way of living than one which teaches [as the bumper sticker says] “He who dies with the most toys wins”. I know there are few - if any - of us who are ready to sell all that we have, and give it to the poor [I’m as addicted to my “stuff” as anyone]. But there are places we can begin. The Fort Street church has been committed to ministry to our urban neighbors - homeless, poor, or just struggling - for over four decades. We feed and clothe thousands every year. But - not everyone can make the trip or take the time to be part of the Open Door [you can read more about that program elsewhere on this website]. However, each of us can find something in our own neighborhoods; food banks, clothing cupboards, tutoring programs for children, a lonely neighbor down the street, a co-worker in personal crisis in the lunchroom, a stranger in a nursing home – the list could go on indefinitely. Where is your ministry? Where is that place in your life where you can feel the power of God’s love flowing through you to those around you? |
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Comments about this web site should be directed to Fort Street WebMaster
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