I would rather feel compassion than know the meaning of it.
Thomas Aquinas
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Work for Food That Endures..
"Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you." JOhn 6:27
""My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.." John 4:34
Compassion and Justice Learning Community
PCC's Compassion and Justice Learning Community welcomes people who are intested in learning together, praying together, humbly serving together, as we demonstrate the love of Jesus to the least of these in Redwood City. We desire to live out our Christian mandate to LOVE GOD and LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR.As Mother Teresa so beautifully puts it:
“I wish to say that every person must be concerned with the welfare of his neighbours. It is a duty of charity. We must show our love for all men and women who are God’s children and, so, are our brothers and sisters”“We can not show our love for God whom we can not see and who is in need of nothing except by loving and serving our neighbor who we see and love as God’s child”
OUR COVENANT
1) GATHER with other Christ followers
2) READ & REFLECT on scripture and books related to the poor
3 ) SERVE – Acts of Compassion – individual service and group service (1-2 hours a week)
For more details on our community at Peninsula Covenant Church in Redwood City, please check out the other posts in this blog or contact me at virginiahuffman@yahoo.com
Be Rich Towards God
Mt 6:19-20 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Well I can tell you where my heart and mind have been. Struggling with the pull of the material world and the Everlasting Kingdom. It is so true that my heart, mind, soul and energy are given to things that don't last. I have to constantly realign myself with God's priorities and it' so hard. I am glad to finally be in community with people who are also on this journey towards Kingdom values. I am glad I have to give an account and am trying to immerse myself in the Word which brings me life and proper perspective.
As I am thinking more and more about the poor, I am seeing things in scripture through a new lens. For example, last night I read Luke 12:15-21. It's the parable about the rich man whose land produced abundantly. He had an excess crop and instead of asking God what he should do, he hoarded it, tore down his old barn (which was probably still useful) and build a bigger better barn. If he had done so today, he probably would have hired an interior decorator to make sure it matched his house or consulted the latest version of Pottery Barn to make sure it looked vintage yet new and oh so cute. Maybe he would have been highlighted in "This Old House" magazine or sponsored a Sunset Magazine Tour.
What I had not seen in this passage before is not that he simply hoarded and built bigger barns bu that he failed to share with the poor. He was not "rich towards God" and God took his life that very night and he was not able to enjoy it nor pass it on to another. So how do we respond when we have and overflow? Say $10 or $10,000? Many times I just spend it on myself, buying again more things that will not last. Somehow it seems easier for me to pray about the bigger amounts than the everyday $5-$20 expenditures. But that adds up too.
Lord, please help me be rich towards you!! Help me to spend my money toward Kingdom purposes.
Luke 12: 16-21
And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' 18"Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' 20"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
21"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
Well I can tell you where my heart and mind have been. Struggling with the pull of the material world and the Everlasting Kingdom. It is so true that my heart, mind, soul and energy are given to things that don't last. I have to constantly realign myself with God's priorities and it' so hard. I am glad to finally be in community with people who are also on this journey towards Kingdom values. I am glad I have to give an account and am trying to immerse myself in the Word which brings me life and proper perspective.
As I am thinking more and more about the poor, I am seeing things in scripture through a new lens. For example, last night I read Luke 12:15-21. It's the parable about the rich man whose land produced abundantly. He had an excess crop and instead of asking God what he should do, he hoarded it, tore down his old barn (which was probably still useful) and build a bigger better barn. If he had done so today, he probably would have hired an interior decorator to make sure it matched his house or consulted the latest version of Pottery Barn to make sure it looked vintage yet new and oh so cute. Maybe he would have been highlighted in "This Old House" magazine or sponsored a Sunset Magazine Tour.
What I had not seen in this passage before is not that he simply hoarded and built bigger barns bu that he failed to share with the poor. He was not "rich towards God" and God took his life that very night and he was not able to enjoy it nor pass it on to another. So how do we respond when we have and overflow? Say $10 or $10,000? Many times I just spend it on myself, buying again more things that will not last. Somehow it seems easier for me to pray about the bigger amounts than the everyday $5-$20 expenditures. But that adds up too.
Lord, please help me be rich towards you!! Help me to spend my money toward Kingdom purposes.
Luke 12: 16-21
And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' 18"Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' 20"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
21"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
Jesus Does Not Want Your Spare Change
I have been surfing the web for video clips and other dynamic resources for our Compassion and Justice Learning Community. Alas right before bedtime I found a great resource you should visit called The San Damiano Foundation http://www.sandamianofoundation.org/
Click on www.myspace.com/sandamiano -- The PROMO video is on the right side of the page with a picture of a man driving a car. The phrase that is etched on my brain is, "Christ is not looking for us to give our spare change, he's looking for us to give our lives." Hmmm I guess that will require some self investigation and trasformation. It kind of goes along with a book I am reading called "Compassion" by Henry Nouwen. It makes me realize that I think of compassion as a feeling, being moved by someone's sufffering -- shedding tears. True compassion is being with people in their suffering and may include doing something more. It requires more of a sacrifice than just shedding tears and moving onto the next task on my "To Do" list.
Acts of Compassion can be inconvenient but in acting compassionately we uncover a bit of His Kingdom here on earth.
Click on www.myspace.com/sandamiano -- The PROMO video is on the right side of the page with a picture of a man driving a car. The phrase that is etched on my brain is, "Christ is not looking for us to give our spare change, he's looking for us to give our lives." Hmmm I guess that will require some self investigation and trasformation. It kind of goes along with a book I am reading called "Compassion" by Henry Nouwen. It makes me realize that I think of compassion as a feeling, being moved by someone's sufffering -- shedding tears. True compassion is being with people in their suffering and may include doing something more. It requires more of a sacrifice than just shedding tears and moving onto the next task on my "To Do" list.
Acts of Compassion can be inconvenient but in acting compassionately we uncover a bit of His Kingdom here on earth.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Rethinking Ministry to the Poor
The books I am are reading are stacking up and as usual I am reading three to four at a time. They're all so compelling and if I can not find one in my home somewhere I can pick up the one that is closest at hand. Here's an excerpt from "Compassion, Justice and the Christian Life — Rethinking Ministry to the Poor " Author John Lupton is an innercity warrior and veteran servant to the poor.
"The effectiveness of our efforts to empower the poor could be significantly enhanced if, prior to launch, would-be helpers would take the following pledge:
I will never do for others what they have (or could have) the capacity to do for themselves.
I will never do for others what they have (or could have) the capacity to do for themselves.
I will limit my one-way giving to emergency situations and seek always to find ways and means for legitimate exchange.
I will seek ways empower the poor through hiring, lending and investing and use grants sparingly as incentives that reinforce achievements.
I will put the interests of the poor above my own (or organizational) self-interest even when it may be costly.
I will take time to listen and carefully assess both expressed and unspoken needs so that my actions will ultimately strengthen rather than weaken the hand of those I would serve.
Above all, to the best of my ability, I will do no harm.
I will seek ways empower the poor through hiring, lending and investing and use grants sparingly as incentives that reinforce achievements.
I will put the interests of the poor above my own (or organizational) self-interest even when it may be costly.
I will take time to listen and carefully assess both expressed and unspoken needs so that my actions will ultimately strengthen rather than weaken the hand of those I would serve.
Above all, to the best of my ability, I will do no harm.
For more info on John Lupton's ministry click on http://www.fcsministries.org/up/
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Rich in Good Deeds
How rich are you?
As I was wondering through fellow sojourner Tony Gapastione's blog I clicked on a website I had never seen before http://www.ministryofmoney.org/ . As I continued clicking through I came upon an interesting survey that beconed me to enter -- it asked: How rich are you? I entered in our annual income and it showed me how rich our family is compared to others in the world. To some it may build their ego to see themselves on the top of the heap. For me it was embarrassing and disheartening as I see how much I have compared to others in the world and as I am reminded that "to whom much is given, much is required" (Luke 12:48). Check it out for yourself. http://www.globalrichlist.com/
What is more important in God's upside down kingdom is that I am RICH in GOOD DEEDS. Hmmm lets see how did I spend my morning .... shopping I must confess... for things I don't really need.
1 Tim 6: 17-18 "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
Dear Lord -- help me to put aside those things that do not last, those things that carry me away from your will for daily living -- help me to consider the poor and to expend my life on their behalf rather than chasing idols that do not satisfy.
As I was wondering through fellow sojourner Tony Gapastione's blog I clicked on a website I had never seen before http://www.ministryofmoney.org/ . As I continued clicking through I came upon an interesting survey that beconed me to enter -- it asked: How rich are you? I entered in our annual income and it showed me how rich our family is compared to others in the world. To some it may build their ego to see themselves on the top of the heap. For me it was embarrassing and disheartening as I see how much I have compared to others in the world and as I am reminded that "to whom much is given, much is required" (Luke 12:48). Check it out for yourself. http://www.globalrichlist.com/
What is more important in God's upside down kingdom is that I am RICH in GOOD DEEDS. Hmmm lets see how did I spend my morning .... shopping I must confess... for things I don't really need.
1 Tim 6: 17-18 "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
Dear Lord -- help me to put aside those things that do not last, those things that carry me away from your will for daily living -- help me to consider the poor and to expend my life on their behalf rather than chasing idols that do not satisfy.
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