Her blog shares stories that display a faith, character, maturity, grace, love, courage, and wisdom that I do not have. I have been passionate about the poor and marginalized for years, now, but I am so lacking in my commitment. Perhaps not all are called to move overseas, but all are called to serve. Here in America, we simply like to downplay this role and calling because it doesn't fit our comfortable lifestyle. We want to follow God without giving up any of our worldly desires, whether that be our morning Starbucks, movies, or going out to eat, anything that requires us to alter our lifestyle is not something we find appealing. Because serving means getting dirty. Serving means being around people who may not be like us. Serving means sacrifice. We don't like sacrifice.
If you beg to differ, I challenge you to take a long look in the mirror and be honest, brutally honest, about what you see. Where do you spend your money? How much of it do you give away and how much of it do you keep for yourself? Do you even tithe 10% to your church? What about beyond that? How much of your time is spent pouring into other people? How many spare bedrooms go unused in your home? What is your response when a homeless man, ragged and dirty in appearance, asks you for money?
The answers likely aren't pretty.
I have done so little. I have been living in the past acts of service recently, feeling that I "did my duty" and taking my "deserved" time away to recharge. Sure, this is necessary at times but it isn't supposed to last a year. I am by no means trying to advocate a works based faith, but I am certain that the fruits of a real relationship with our Father mean that our hearts will be broken for the things that break His. The Bible is very clear that God's heart breaks for the poor, the orphans, and the widows.
This person, Katie, shows me what it means to serve. Her words perfectly paint the picture of Christ's love and grace. Her actions show the adoring love of the Father, relentless in pursuit, perpetually serving and humbling Himself for us. These words specifically challenge me to rid myself of all that I am and rely only on Him.
Our family sits on the street corner down town sharing ice cream and laughter. My daughter bends low to offer a homeless man her popsicle and as he cries that no one cares about him she looks straight into his face. “We will be your family,” she asserts, and she means it. We kneel on the pavement and we pray and people stop to look but we hardly notice because we were made for this.
We bend.
I bend to sweep crumbs and I bend to wipe vomit and I bend to pick up little ones and wipe away tears. I bend over a big pot of stew and I bend to fold endless laundry and I bend over math books and spelling sentences and history quiz corrections. And at the end of these days I bend next to the bed and I ask only that I could bend more, bend lower.
Because I serve a Savior who came to be a servant. He lived bent low. And bent down here is where I see His face.
He lived, only to die.
Could I?
Die to self and just break open for love.
This Savior, His one purpose to spend Himself on behalf of messy us. Will I spend myself on behalf of those in front of me?
And people say, “Don’t you get tired?” and yes, I do. But I’m face to face with Jesus in the dirt, and the more I bend the harder and better and fuller this life gets. And sure, we are tired, but oh we are happy. Because bent down low is where we find fullness of Joy.
Read more of Katie's blog, The Journey.
Find out about Katie's ministry, Amazima.
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