So yesterday someone wrote and corrected me stating that Catholics don’t sprinkle, they use a pitcher of water to baptize both infants and adults. I remarked that I thought that was akin to sprinkling and he said no that sprinkling to him was similar to when his wife sprinkles water on a shirt when ironing. In his mind Catholic baptism is more like “pouring”.
Then I got another letter stating that we shouldn’t worry about the exact method that folks use to baptize and instead of concentrating on the 10% that we disagree upon we should focus on the 90% that we can. I responded that I thought that was the main point of what I wrote. He responded that I was right and he didn’t know why he wrote what he wrote.
Interesting . . .
Okay here we go again, if someone loves Jesus and repents and wants to follow Him in baptism and they interpret the Bible to mean that they should be dunked, sprinkled, poured, or dabbed then please go for it. The important thing is that Jesus was baptized and we should follow His lead and do the same.
So what did Jesus do when He walked this earth? He prayed, preached the Gospel, discipled, and engaged in compassion ministry in helping the poor, sick, and downtrodden. We should also follow Him in all of that. We should pray, witness, disciple others, love all and serve all.
So what do you see when you see a homeless street person? A friend of mine in Tallahassee Beth Burns who along with her husband Glenn founded the Good Samaritan Network and Chelsea House see these people in much the same light that I believe Jesus sees them . . .
These two have given up lucrative and wonderful careers in order to devote their entire lives to helping such people. She told me she was inspired by God to write the piece below and send it to me to use as I see fit:
“Who is that man behind the dumpster, disheveled and well worn?
I wonder of his story from the time that he was born
What led him to this place of utter despondency,
A hopeless creature in survival mode is all that one can see.
When did he give up on the life that God gifted him?
Was it disappointment, abuse, abandonment or addiction?
I wonder what his dreams were before everything went wrong?
A heart that is now broken, did he ever have a song?
Who is that woman holding the sign . . .
’Need help, hungry and homeless’?
Is she someone’s daughter, mother, sister, aunt?
What caused her to be so hopeless?
If I had a chance to look into her eyes what stories they would tell
A life of aimless wanderings describes her living hell.
Does she seek a place of refuge from her harsh reality?
Is she here by choice or just trying to survive humanity.
I pass them by each day wondering, what one like me can do?
A prayer of hope, small pocket of change, will it help to get them through?
Shelter, food, a kind word; is that really what they need?
Am I the instrument God will use; to plant a little seed?
Will this one act of kindness, begin the journey home
To a place of hope in God, never again to be alone?
Who is this person in the mirror looking back at me,
The reflection of my heart is all that I can see.
Remembering my own failures, life choices and where I’ve been,
I humble myself and to choose the heart of a Good Samaritan.”
We are justified by faith and grace and not by works, but we are called to good works. Have you helped the poor, the sick, visited, anyone in prison, or showed mercy to the downtrodden? Jesus did it every day and we should emulate Him. If you cannot do as the Burns family has done and devote your entire life to a cause, then make a gift to their ministry.
The important thing is to do something!
Have a great weekend and go to Honey Lake Church this Sunday. We have a special guest for this special second Sunday service that is so talented she won the Miss Black America pageant. God gave her the gift of music and she is sharing it all over the world in order to bring glory and honor to His name. You won’t want to miss it. Services begin at 11 – Sunday school at 9:30.
Matthew 25:34
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
November 7, 2014 – Click here to listen