Do not be fooled by the luxuries of this world; they cripple our faith. Like Jesus explained, the right things have to die so the right things can live – we die to selfishness, greed, power, accumulation, prestige, and self-preservation, giving life to community, generosity, compassion, mercy, brotherhood, kindness, and love." - Jen Hatmaker
I was working on cleaning an office a few days ago when the person I was cleaning for asked the question we get so often from so many people. Why Miami? When I tell them the story, most people can't believe that this is what I have dreamed of doing for the last 25 years. To them it seems so radical. I don't think he could really understand why we left our family, our friends, our things and a good job to come to Miami to start an outreach to the homeless and a church for people who don't like church.
I don't think I have said this to anyone outright before, but all I could say was, "Jesus' love was radical. It stopped at nothing for us. It was in giving His life and that kind of love that turned the world upside down. I told him that I want in on the upside down Kingdom of God. I want to engage in something that is bigger than me, but is that what I am really doing? I had to really ask myself this question.
Even after leaving our family, our friends, our belongings in Missouri, I have found myself wanting to go back at times. I have found myself spending so much time figuring out how to go back and get my stuff. Yes, there are things that I have there in storage that are important to me and I really want to go back and get them, but is trying to figure out how to get it all back crippling what God has called us here to do.
So many things can take us off our course, cripple our faith and steal our attention. Please pray that our attention is not on the things that would would rob us of our compassion, mercy, generosity and love.
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