I’m privileged to be married to a woman gifted at hospitality and service. She knows how to make people feel welcome and she knows how to serve without notice (so don’t tell her I’ve written this). And actually, I’m only telling you this because it leads me to brag upon our daughter–who learned a lot from her mother. Amy just sent a note about how inviting a woman over for to make a few crafts has been so incredibly meaningful to this woman. A simple act…not much at all…”let’s spend some time together…”has turned into meaningful ministry.
Earlier today I was in a conversation about a number of our people who are serving at Teen Reach. I know (since I’ve talked with the specific individuals) that none of them think they are doing “all that much.” They volunteer some time one day a week. And yet, to hear from Teen Reach, they are making a huge difference in the lives of people. Amazing how something so “small” has gone such a long way.
For the past few months we’ve been trying to feed people over the weekends through our Kidzpacks. It’s not a very big backpack. It’s only a few hours each week, collecting and packing food. Yet this simple act has led to some of our folks contacting their employers who have now funded some programming at the school (they can’t give to us, it has to go to the school itself). This morning I learned that they may have decided to fund a couple of other schools’ programs as well. It’s amazing how far a simple act of kindness can go.
It often isn’t much. Just a simple invitation to lunch. Or, a request to “join me at church.” Maybe it’s a small donation to a charity. Or it’s a salad taken to a neighbor. Sometimes it’s a couple of hours serving a funeral meal, or a morning cleaning gutters, or spending a Sunday a month working in the nursery. It isn’t much…but it doesn’t have to be.
” Yep, that’s me. But it’s not about me. It’s about a small church with a big heart.
