...unless you turn and become like children...

I had the opportunity to see Matthew 18 up close and personal today. Several families in our Sunday school class have been organizing some items for what had been a homeless mom and three boys, attempting to get out of a bad family situation. This morning was the day they were moving into a rent free apartment that had been procured for at least the next 4 months or so.

Melissa and I had been saying for quite some time now we needed to have a serious garage sale and find a way to donate the money. This is always one of those task that sounds excellent in principle until it comes to actually organizing it, planning the date, putting an add in the paper, pricing everything, deciding what actually should be up for sale, etc... Whew, it's tiring just writing out what needs to take place. Then there is the whole back and forth of what should be drug into the driveway for the general public to rummage through. This is never fun as the merits and value of every item has to be discussed/argued, reminisced about (oh, remember that one day that was used for one time, and it was so sweet how the kids....) until I am ready to turn the garage sale into an estate sale, put a price on everything, and just see what happens.

After much procrastination and good intentions, like those of getting up early and going to the gym but just not quite getting there, God put us out of our misery. I guess since we were dilly dallying around so long about selling this stuff and donating the $$, He decided to simply march a family in need directly into our paths, hard to ignore those signs. We were able to contribute a fare amount of stuff to furnish their empty apartment this morning, I don't think they had much more than the clothes they were wearing.

It was good to see a handful of families we know all there pitching in along with a plethora of children there to help as well and play with the three boys moving in. It was so refreshing to watch the kids interact, both in wanting to help and interact with the three boys. It was as if they had known them forever and it was merely a family reunion with cousins. At one point there were a scattering of black, white, Chinese, and Guatemalan children ranging in age from 5 to 14, carrying items and playing like crazy together.

Not once did I ever see any of them pause as if to question each other's motives, intentions, thoughts, or hesitate to engage. At one point, Dutch broke into sharing about Jesus' love for him and them as well in the midst of just hopping through the apartment. While all of us adults know we were doing the right thing by attempting to provide for this families physical needs, leave it to one of the children to attempt and provide for their spiritual needs.

It was a great example of Matthew 18:1-6. It was a great reminder of how we should have a faith more like our children and refreshing to learn once again, we are all created in the image of God and His love is not spared for only those who look or act deserving.