What does it mean to be a blessing?
To me it means three things:
1 – to go- being a disciple to others
2 – willing to do whatever it takes to be the hands and feet of Jesus
3 – to be present in the moment focusing on the needs of others.
Our Liquid Church Life Group had the opportunity to be a blessing to others this past week at the Feeding Hands Pantry. There were nine of us and most had not volunteered there before. Lois Bennett, Director of Feeding Hands, did a great job providing an orientation and a time of devotion before the Feeding Hands Pantry opened. She spoke about Jesus always going to people who were sinners, sick, and disabled. These were the same people who the society shunned believing sin had caused their sickness or disability. This struck such a cord since our Life Group lesson – the same week was Mark 2 and the story of the four men who brought a paralyzed man on a mat to see Jesus. But it was too crowded at the house and they couldn’t get in. So, they got creative and cut a hole in the roof and lowered him down where Jesus forgave his sins and healed him, and he got up and carried his mat home.
Then it hit me, by serving at Feeding Hands, we were like those four men, helping those less fortunate get the opportunity to see Jesus at work. Our volunteers enjoyed loving on complete strangers. As the night progressed, we had team members who drove clients home because they had no ride – what a blessing!
I was in the prayer room and I was amazed at those who came for prayer, sharing and grateful at how they could see God’s miracles and how He is at work in their lives. They were also sharing their thanks to God for people who have stepped up to help them in their time of need. At one point, two women who didn’t speak English came to the prayer room with their three children for prayer in Spanish. I quickly asked one of our Spanish speaking volunteers, who was outside doing a different job, to come and translate for me. He immediately dropped what he was doing and came willingly. It was an amazing moment to see the reality of what it is like to Be a Blessing, willing to go, doing whatever it takes to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and to be present in the moment focusing on the needs of others.
Article Written by: Julie Patskin – Liquid Church Life Group Leader