Hearing and Action

Some verses of Scripture bring comfort to us.  To think of verses that bring comfort is to remember the 23rd Psalm.  A verse which has led many a soul to the altar is John 3:16.  Other verses are like south Georgia sandspurs.  Sandspurs are pesky, tenacious, and painfully bothersome.  A sandspur will get picked up on your jeans, go with you to the house, go through a washer and dryer cycle, and be right there to stick you the next time you put on those clean blue jeans.    

So has been my relationship with I John 3:17-18 which says, "How does God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action."  I read those words, think I have responded rightly, and then run into a situation which sticks me again in such a way that the only thing I can say is, "Lord, have mercy."  There was a moment a few days ago when I sensed that I should give my coat away, but by the time the thought made the journey from my head to my heart, it was too late.  Before that missed opportunity the Lord spoke a word about caring not for the entire homeless community, but for some individuals who come my way and I continue to ponder the plan instead of acting on it.   

Those of us who have a relationship of sorts through this blog are part of an affluent community.  We may not count ourselves among the world's richest, but we have more than what can be defined as our basic needs.  There are those around us who do not have enough.  Most of us live with a surplus.  Jesus has a word for us that we not only need to hear, but one which should push us into action.