Compasion

Warning: The following may not be suitable for all audiences
Reader Discretion is Advised.

I love this song. It’s by Everlast and it’s called “What It’s Like”

We've all seen the man at the liquor store beggin' for your change
The hair on his face is dirty, dreadlocked and full of mange
He ask the man for what he can spare with shame in his eyes
Get a job you fuckin' slob is all he replied.

[CHORUS]
God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in his shoes
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to sing the blues
Then you really might know what it's like…

Mary got pregnant from a kid named Tom who said he was in love
He said don't worry about a thing baby doll
I'm the man you've been dreamin' of
But three months later he said he won't date her or return her call
And she sweared damn if I find that man I'm cuttin' off his balls
And she heads for the clinic and she gets some static walkin' through the door
They call her a killer, and they call her a sinner, and they call her a whore

[CHORUS]
God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in her shoes
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to choose
Then you really might know what it's like…

I've seen a rich man beg
I've seen a good man sin
I've seen a tough man cry
I've seen a loser win
And a sad man grin
I heard an honest man lie
I've seen the good side of bad
And the down side of up
And everything between
I licked the silver spoon
Drank from the golden cup
Smoked the finest green
I stroked the daddy's dimes at least a couple of times
Before I broke their heart
You know where it ends
Yo, it usually depends on where you start

I knew this kid named Max, he used to get fat stacks on the corner with drugs
He liked to hang out late He liked to get shit faced and keep pace with thugs
Until late one night there was a big gun fight & Max lost his head
He pulled out his chrome .45 talked some shit and wound up dead
Now his wife and his kids are caught in the midst of all of his pain
You know it crumbles that way At least that's what they say, when you play the game

[CHORUS]
God forbid you ever had to wake up to hear the news
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to lose

Then you really might know what it's like
To have to lose...

First of all, let me start off by saying that I don’t think that abortion is right, and having ministered for eight years in a gang infested environment has shown me there is no honor in “defending” a street that will never belong to me. Because of my life in Christ, I am called to live by a different standard, a standard that those who are still caught in the world are not under and could never understand. This is another example of what it means to be caught in darkness. It is the inability to see what you are doing, or to see what you’ve done. One day we will all be judged by God for what we did, and within us some will be counted blameless because of what Jesus did.

What I’m asking for is for us to stop blind condemnation and let compassion and mercy rule.

I’ve shared this with you before… when I was training to go to Rwanda, I firmly believed I would only be ministering among the Tutsi who were the victims of the genocide. Halfway through I realized this was not to be the case and I began to question my ability to love these people. Kristen was wise to pick up on this possibility and spent a good part of one of our nights reminding us of how we are not above those people we would be ministering to. Within us all lays the ability for any kind of sin, even murder. Fear… Hate… Lust… these are all parts of our human nature, but it is by the grace of God that we are given the means to not mess up, and it is by His blood that we are cleansed if we had.

I’ve been struggling a lot spiritually this last year. A lot of it is because of the choices I’ve made and the people I’ve let influence me. Another part is because I’ve lost my focus. I’ve been called to work in developing countries. I want to take a more Holistic approach to ministry. My conviction is while it wonderful to tell people about the Lord, if we are doing nothing to meet their physical, emotional, and mental needs then we are missing a part of a Christ-Like approach to ministry. That is why I’ve applied to work for Nightlight. It is an organization that seeks out women and children who are trapped in prostitution. To this date they have about 80 women in their shelters in Bangkok, Thailand and of these about 60 have given their life to the Lord. The Los Angeles office works to distribute the jewelry these women make, and seeks to educate people on sex trafficking with the hopes that this will one day end.

We all have our preconceived notions, I know I have mine about prostitution. But I don’t want to see through that lens anymore. I want to see what He saw when it was written, When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36

Another Great Verse is:

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22: 36-40

You see my friends… it all hinges on love. Whether or not we love God and other people more than we love ourselves.

yours