Life Exposed

One Saturday we took a team in to help clean up.  There was 8 or so of us, and on the way I just prayed that God would direct us where we needed to go.  As we parked at a sister church and walked in, we spotted a woman carrying debris to the road.  I asked her if she needed help, and she said with a relieved smile, "yes". It was only her and her husband that was left to clean up their property that held two houses and a garage and all three structures had been leveled.  Once again, everything needed to be brought to the road.  We walked on in and started dragging stuff to the road.  I noticed real quick we were right where the Lord wanted us to be.  Let me give you a little bit of back ground on what I observed about the family we were helping.  The couple was in their 50's, and we would go on to learn that they had children and grandchildren.  All were with them in their storm shelter when the storm came and all had survived, just not their homes or belongings.  The woman was very sweet and soft spoken, and her husband seemed to be very closed off, and wasn't quite sure what to think about us.  Just reading into the situation I could understand his uncomfortableness with us at first.  He was wearing a "Looking through my Beer Goggles" t-shirt, and scattered amongst all their belongings were all the things that Southern Baptist are against!  And here was a good ole group of Southern Baptist stepping over what was left of his life and probably judging him for what in his life was now exposed.  I praise God for the group that we had that day, because he quickly realized there was no judgement, only God's love that day.  I started thinking what in my life was displeasing to God, and if given the opportunity to be exposed needed to be cleaned up.  As I looked at this mans belongings, I had nothing but love and compassion, because I too had things that needed to be cleaned up.  Leave it to God to teach me a life lesson, when I thought the lesson might be for someone else that day.  How powerful is our God, that He loves us so much to give us situations like that!  By the end of the day everything that needed to be moved to the road was.  All the mess was cleaned up.  I would like to think that new life was started that day.  With that man and with me!  We prayed with the family before we left, and I can remember asking what specifically they needed prayer for.   The woman said she needed patience to deal with the fate she was given, and she pointed to her husband and said he needs prayer for "a lot of things"...I told her we could definitely pray for "lots of things".  I think we all need lots of things.  And by the end of that prayer I saw tears fall from the mans eyes, and relief in hers.  It was a good day for all of us!  Thanks and all the Glory to God!

There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you-who are you to judge your neighbor?  James 4:12

Let us lead by example and Love...not judgement.