Love

Before Dwight L. Moody became the greatest evangelist of the 19th Century, he had a storefront where he would hold Sunday School to reach the street kids of Chicago. Sunday after Sunday a young boy would make his way the long distance from his home to the storefront where he would attend Sunday School. One day the young boy was asked why he would make that journey Sunday after Sunday through the cold and snowy Chicago weather. His answer was very simple. He said, "I go there because I am loved there." Not because of the preachers great and wonderful preaching or because they needed him, but he was able to feel he was loved. As we work with those that most people have given up on because of their drug use or alcohol use; I wonder if we make them feel loved! My wife and I, along with a host of others have the wonderful opportunity to do just that. In many cases their own children are ashamed of their life style. They have been embarrassed so many times in the past and in some cases they will not even allow contact. God has given us the wonderful opportunity to allow His love to flow through us to them. We are given words of great wisdom in

1Peter 5:2
Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Feed God's flock not ours; take the oversight and not by constraint not by our choice, but willingly. Not because you are getting paid or it's your job but because you have a mind that is willing and ready to help. There was a man and a woman who came to our program both had a drug problem. They both wanted to quit using drugs but time and time again they would fail. After a while they both quit using and even quit living together and they both have become a wonderful blessing to our program. One night in a meeting I asked him to give his testimony of what God has done in his life. He did a wonderful job but the words that rang the loudest were the words when he said I felt loved by the leadership that loved on us. When we would fall I kept hearing the words of

Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Even though we failed time and time again I kept hearing your voice saying for a person to fall seven times they have to do what? Then you would say "get up six!" They never said it was the food we had to eat or your preaching we loved but it was the love we felt time and time again. That's it, just love them like Jesus. They may push you to your limits? Keep on loving them for that is what Jesus does as we keep coming to Him for we know that He loves us.