Hope is....no strings attached.

Sometimes unpleasant things sneak into my heart and take up residence without me knowing.

I don't know why I'm surprised when I turn the corner and find them there but I am. They are kinda like cockroaches. You don't always see them but if you live in the south you know they aren't ever that far away. You turn on the light in the middle of the night or you open the garage door and suddenly one is scurrying past your foot.

It's always gross and if it happens in front of a guest it is always embarrassing.

Recently I was startled to discover an attitude of pride and expectation had moved in temporarily. Not cool temporary visitors like backpackers in a European hostile. More like cockroaches that need to be stepped on before they breed.

It was bound to happen. By nature what we do in our ministry is complicated. Tangled. Messy. When you spend your days in urban ministry you find yourself in a position to 'do for' people which can be a dangerous place to be.

Dangerous because you can slip into a role of a provider instead of a facilitator. Shift from being a fellow traveler to a tour guide. When that happens it's a short trip to pride and unwarranted expectation. False ownership.

False ownership? I liken it to the opposite of entitlement (when the other person feels they have a right to my help). Or perhaps a near cousin. It's when I believe I have rights and control over what belongs to someone else. It happens when I have helped a person out and they don't do what I think they should with that help. At that moment a pseudo-righteous indignation rises up in me and says, 'Hey! I did that for you and now you aren't holding up your end of the bargain! You're supposed to make better choices  because I did this for you.'

Perhaps that sounds reasonable to you and it is definitely a natural feeling. But at the heart of it resides a lie. The lie says 'I did this for you.' That's where I mess up and it's also when I leave the door open for those disgusting cockroaches to sneak in to my heart.

Jesus said when you do this for the least of these you do it for me. When I make the mistake of 'doing for' someone instead of serving Jesus first then I'm already going down the wrong path. 

I don't help people because they need help.
I don't help people because I can fix them.
I don't help people because I have something they need.

No. What I do is I love Jesus.

I love Jesus when I feed someone.
I love Jesus when I clothe someone.
I love Jesus when I give someone a ride to a job interview.
I love Jesus when I share a meal with someone no one wants to eat with.
I love Jesus when I listen to someone no one wants to listen to.
I love Jesus when I teach someone to read or help someone with their homework.

I love Jesus. Period.

What happens after that is between Jesus and whomever I have loved in His name.

I don't own that. He does.
 

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’

^37-40 “Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’

Matthew 25:36-40




Brian and Heather Flood are full time missionaries in downtown Savannah. They are the founders and directors of Hope Academy in Savannah, GA. Hope exists to partner with adults in their adult education needs and to help them discover and achieve their life purpose.To learn more about Hope Academy or how you can impact downtown Savannah one life at a time contact Brian Flood at bflood56@outlook.com.

Visit them on Facebook or at www.hopeacademysavannah.com or to donate and Share Hope with a Student go to their Go Fund Me page, www.gofundme.com/hopeacademysav .

 

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Hope deferred...

Last time I talked about the two qualities imperative to conquering the mountains in front of us and two women who have both the 'want to' and the 'show up'.

But what happens when one of those is missing?

Today we had 5 no shows; people who had appointments to see how we might help them on their journey as well as students who didn't come to class.

We've learned that is to be expected and aren't generally discouraged when potential students don't make their appointments. Showing up to that first interview is a litmus test of sorts. It indicates someone wants it enough to deal with inconvenience, discomfort or difficulty. If they show up we have hope they will go the distance.

But what happens when someone has a deep 'want to' but can't manage the 'show up'?

What if you have big dreams but your one chance to earn some money keeps you from going to GED classes or getting help from your homework coach?

What if you have the potential to not just get your GED but be the first one in your family to go to college yet your family can't or won't support your efforts?

What if you are surrounded by people who believe in you, cheer you on but your kid gets sick or you're too exhausted from working the minimum wage job that barely pays your rent to make it to class?

How do you not get discouraged? How do you not give up?

I found myself trying to give a deeply motivated student encouragement to not give up. I told her we're here for her and, "I know this is a tough balancing act but I believe in you and your potential to achieve your goals."

Photo by Rebecca Flood 2015

Determined she said, "I want to accomplish this dream."

"I know you can, don't get discouraged," I coached hoping my words helped.

So how do you do it? When it feels like the world is against you at every turn? How do you keep your 'want to' when you can't show up? How do you not lose to discouragement?

She told me how, "I won't when I have God."

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. Psalm 13:12

Brian and Heather Flood are full time missionaries in downtown Savannah. They are the founders and directors of Hope Academy in Savannah, GA. Hope exists to partner with adults in their adult education needs and to help them discover and achieve their life purpose.

To learn more about Hope Academy or how you can impact downtown Savannah one life at a time contact Brian Flood at bflood56@outlook.com.

Visit their Facebook page or to donate and Share Hope with a Student go to their Go Fund Me page, www.gofundme.com/hopeacademysav .