“Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?”
Matthew 25:37-38
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I want to take this opportunity and talk about how incredibly proud of and inspired I am by my sister, Stephanie.
She and a group of seven other Christian professionals pooled their resources and sponsored a refugee family to come to Canada and escape the perils and trauma of life in war-torn Syria.
The family consists of a single 33 year old mother whose husband was killed by militants in Syria, and her five children ranging between 4 years and 17 years of age. One of her sons has scars covering his face from an explosion, and most of them suffer from severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
The family has been in Canada for nearly two months and all of the children are enrolled in school; a luxury that life in Syria did not afford them. The family is also being provided with a wide range of special services to ensure that their financial, emotional, psychological and social needs are met. The road to healing for this family will likely be long and arduous but I praise God that they are now on that road.
I praise God for the many people, like my sister, who move beyond merely feeling sympathy or sorrow for the pain of others and instead choose to take action. People who truly live out God’s command to love their neighbours sacrificially and selflessly, in practical and tangible ways. People who choose to honour God through caring for the destitute, the hurting, the vulnerable. The least of these.
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“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.’”
Matthew 25:40
Father God, please open our eyes to the pain and suffering of others. Please replace our apathy and complacency with hearts that breaks for the exploited and the vulnerable. Please show us how we can take action, even in small ways, to help those who are hurting. For Your Glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
A Girl After God's Heart 