During the Family Weekend, our speaker shared from John 4, where Jesus speaks to a Samaritan woman. She was a woman that Jesus, in all cultural and societal norms, should not have been speaking with or associating with.
When Jesus asks the woman to get him water, he was not treating her as a slave. In fact, by putting himself in a position of need of her, Jesus was lowering himself and elevating this woman, giving her a place of dignity. When the world saw a woman with 5 husbands, an outcast, and one no one is meant to associate with, Jesus saw the image of God in her – Christ in her.
When I was in Overflow and struggling with my addictions, Joe Chong, the leader at the time, asked me to help lead the poor and needy side of ministry called Overflow Blessings. It made no sense to put me as a leader! I was struggling with my addiction, I was immature in my faith, and I was your least likely candidate. But serving the poor through Overflow helped me in my journey to where I am today.
Last year, I asked Joe, “Why did you choose me to lead Overflow Blessings all those years ago”? Joe responded, “Because you were so poor”. It was a strange reason, but he elaborated. He saw that even though I was living pay cheque to pay cheque – I would still give, I would still be generous. He saw something in me. He saw Christ in me.
I don’t think any leader would have picked me. I don’t think I would have picked me! What the world saw was a boy who might make it. What Joe saw was a part of Christ in me, and he called it out and he dignified me. Joe did for me what Jesus did for the woman at the well. They saw Christ in the brokenness and called out the Christ in us.
I believe God is asking the Lifespring Family to be fathers and mothers, not just in provision, but in the way Jesus did: raising up and calling out the Christ in others, even when they can’t see it themselves. Sometimes we focus so much on efficiency and operations. This is not bad at all! When the food bank needed food, we responded with food! But I believe God is asking us to go even further, to not just provide for needs but to call out Christ in others.
Jesus fed 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish. God always provides. What God wants us to do next is be His eyes and voice to call out the Christ in others. Amen.