Blessed are the undesirable … God’s true gifts
Frank Viola writes at Beyond Evangelical:
At this moment, I have in mind the faces of the poor and afflicted whom I’ve worked with in 2012 and will continue to, God willing, this year.
Some of them have very few friends. Some of them are living in poverty. Some of them have mental illnesses that regularly torment them. Some of them have legal problems. Some of them have gone nose-to-nose with suicide. Some of them are incredibly needy.
This practical ministry has been – at times – emotionally, mentally, and physically draining. …
Sometimes I grow weary of seeing God do something amazing, only to see it overturned a month later.
Sometimes I rejoice in seeing some of these people learn to walk with God.
Yet amid the light and the shade, I believe this is where the Lord wants me in this season.
The whole experience has been transforming. It reminds me of how deep the Fall goes. It keeps me dependent on Jesus for fresh grace. It keeps me in touch with the frailty of humanity. It keeps me in touch with my own frailty, my own brokenness, and my own daily need of a Savior . . . Jesus Christ of Nazareth who is Resurrection and Life.
It also puts things in perspective. When your mind is absorbed with the plight of others, what happens to you doesn’t seem all that important.
Blessed are the undesirable. They are God’s true gifts to this earth . . . and to us.
To read the full text of this excellent post, click here.
Have you read Frank Viola’s book Beyond Evangelical? It’s about a new breed of orthodox Christians God is raising up who are breaking free from the Christian Right vs. Left quagmire, marked by an uncommon devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ as this world’s true Lord.
Multiply Justice 