Confessions of a Compassion Junkie

My name is Heather and I’m a compassion addict.

Many years ago while ministering in a one of the poorest neighborhoods I’ve ever had the privilege to serve in, I came across a man I knew who indicated that among other things, he was hungry. I promptly swung into compassion-action and smiling contentedly to myself, marched off to get him a slice of pizza. Just what he needed and so easily taken care of, I thought to myself.

While standing in line, a voice called out to me:

“Hey!” the man said,
“I only have 50 cents, wanna go halfsies on a piece with me?”
“No” I replied dismissively, “I’m buying a piece for my friend.”
“Please? I’m so hungry.” he added, with a hint of desperation.

At that point, I’m pretty sure I ignored him, busy as I was giving my order and paying my money. As I triumphantly turned around to present my pizza gift to my friend, he was long gone down an alley for a fix. I looked around for the man I had brushed off, but since I hadn’t actually seen him, I wasn’t sure who to look for. I sat down on the curb holding that Hawaiian pizza slice and Jesus spoke to me.

He revealed to me that in my zeal to ‘do-good’ for others and ‘feel-good’ about myself, I had made a plan that seemed right in my own eyes. Human compassion had kicked in at the first opportunity to 'meet a need' and I stopped at the words ‘hungry’ and thought – “Oh, I can take care of that.” rather than listening with my spirit to ALL of what he had to say in that moment. My plan didn’t take into consideration what God was already doing in that man’s life and where I might have been able to lend a hand. No, this plan was All. About. Me.

The second man was the divine appointment the Lord had had waiting for me. As Jesus spoke to me, I understood that God had been preparing that man’s heart for salvation and community, and my part was to give him the dignity of being treated well, and sharing a meal together. I was meant to be obedient to the leading of Holy Spirit, and through that the powerful love of God and the redemption of the Cross would have been revealed to him.
It had been a “now” moment that God had set up for me, but since I was out of step with Holy Spirit and determined to do what I thought was best, I missed it.

The truth? Human compassion leads no one to the cross.

I never found either man that day, but what I did take away was this:

To truly minister and reveal Christ in the world, I can do nothing by myself – I must do only what I see the Father doing, by keeping in step with Holy Spirit. (see John 5:19, Galatians 5:16)

As an Army, if we continue to provide “Christian ministry’ based solely on what we’ve got in our warehouses and food banks, giving people what we think will best and most conveniently (for us) meet their needs and then leave it at that, then let us call ourselves what we really are – not a Salvation Army, but a Do-Gooding Group. (hat tip MR)

When The Salvation Army ceases to be a militant body of red-hot men and women whose business is the saving of souls, I hope it will vanish utterly.'
William Booth

Lord,
I pray that you would have mercy on us as an Army and as your soldiers. We repent for ministering out of human compassion towards the poor rather than the harder, better way of obedience. Please teach us in all circumstances to say ‘Lord, reveal to me where you are at work in this person’s life and show me how I can partner with You.”
Amen.

Pop pop goes the bubble wrap

May 12/10

I have the best job IN the world.

Okay, let me take that back - because jobs change. I have the best calling IN the world. The best part about it is that it is "IN the world".


Now i'm not knockin' those who feel called to cloister themselves away and live their lives and worship separate from the world, because Lord knows that there are days that I'd like to go spend a weekend at their house for some peace and quiet!

But there is always the fight. The fight. THE FIGHT!
That is the calling that woos me out of my place of retreat as a lover calls to his beloved (see Song of Songs 2:10) but also as a Commander directs his soldiers to the battlefront calling: "To the front! The cry is ringing. To the front! Your place is there!"(see Salvation Army Songbook #702) I love my Jesus because He is a Lover and Friend, but He is also my Commanding officer, and He calls me forward into battle.

It sounds romantic to a salvo greatheart, or corny to a post-mod, but down here this Kingdom Advance stuff isn't complicated and it's not a mystery. This week my battleground was to pay special attention to a very lonely autistic homeless boy at our family shelter. It was to rejoice with women graduating from a life skills program and tcover them in the Lord's blessing as their chaplain. It was to weep with a community that mourned the passing of a 6 week old baby, as their friend and it was to share time and prayer with a dear comrade recently bereaved. And it's only Wednesday, praise God!

None of these activities took any particular special talent, schooling, funding or intellect. However, they DID require me to be attentive to Holy Spirit and then just to show up physically as well as spiritually and be ready to speak, or be silent, to listen or to act.

This is not sentimental nonsense or oversimplified Gospel - it is the Kingdom of God advancing in Charlotte, North Carolina and Kingdom Advance anywhere takes soldiers who don't love their lives so much that they shrink from death OR tears & sadness, awkward moments, strong emotions, injustice, brokenness and outright depravity. It's having JesusLife - and having it to the full rather than a lifestyle covered in 'bubble wrap' keeping me safe from harm but insulated from experiencing anything transparent, authentic, raw.

Indeed, since I've begun pilgrimage with Jesus I have walked through more hurt, rejection and hardship, made more difficult decisions, gone without and left loved ones behind when I've been called onward. But when I'm with the King, none of these sacrifices is damaging to me the way it was before my heart was His - because it's part of my salvation and my coveanant to share in His sufferings as well as His blessing. To share in His heart and when it is offered, to drink from His cup.

In Philippians 1:27, The Message I read:

"There's far more to this life than trusting Christ, there's also suffering for Him. And the suffering is as much a gift as the trusting."

I will receive every gift that comes from my Father with thanksgiving and consider it a privilege that He trusts me with some of his dearest here on earth.
And so I reiterate, that I have the best calling IN the world, because the One who has called me is gracious, merciful and faithful. Hall-le-lu-jah!

posted by:
HeatherWrighteous

I swiped it from a friend of mine - but it's golden and perhaps timely. Read On...

Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.

My friend recounted to me a conversation with a cadet who doedn't believe a few of the doctrines.

Not a big deal, you say?

Well, this person has covenanted with God based on the doctrines. He has applied for officership based partly on his belief in these doctrines. He feels 'called' to officership, which is basically the vocation of establishing these doctrines in the hearts of every human on the planet. He has confirmed verbally and in writing his belief in the doctrines. And he avoids confessing his disbelief to his superior officers (not wanting, I gather, to jeopardize the free car and home- in the West- and tenure for life).

So here we are, The Salvation Army, stuck with a lying, deceitful, underhanded, misled (in beliefs) scoundrel. If things follow form, this lying, deceitful, underhanded, misled scoundrel will be a leader in The Salvation Army, maybe at your corps, in a matter of months. Here's one for you. He's not alone.

When do we draw a line in the sand? At what point do we say 'enough is enough'?
It is bigger than officership. It goes to all of soldiership.

I am asking a common courtesy, which may be naive in this situation. How about having the honour of quietly stepping out of the ranks if you don't believe what you covenanted that you believed? How about having the modesty to relinquish your soldiership if you are intentionally, habitually not living up to your covenant promises? How about helping us cleanse the ranks of compromising hypocrisy? Either that or repent.

Not only will it go better for you in eternity, but your resignation of your soldiership (and, for you officers who fit the bill, your offiership) could be the best thing you'll ever do for The Salvation Army.
I'd prefer repentance.
Much grace,
sec
PS feel free to invite your friends to read this one.


More from this author is just a click away.

4/20

Wednesday, April 21, 2010.

So yesterday was 4-20. That may seem like just another day for many but if you are in tune with cannabis, Marijuana, Pot, Erb, Ganja culture it is actually national pot day. 4-20 is originally based on the time 4:20 p.m. where within the weed sub-culture it is the time where after a long days work you light up a joint to finish the work day. It is celebrated all around the world as a sign of unity and strength of the pot movement; and really lots of smokers will intentionally light up at that time for the purpose of being a part of something bigger than just themselves. because April 20th is 4-20 that is the day chosen by smokers to have a pot sit in of sorts in their local cities. Some places have as many as 20,000 people all come together and light up. The local law enforcement can't do much as there is such a show of numbers. It is also movements like this that have shaped the mainstream thinking of Pot as a relative harmless drug i.e. if 25,000 people are smoking it in the open it can not be that bad!

I was thinking what the spiritual significance of a prayer movement with this kind of boldness and tenacity could have. Not to say there are not currently huge prayer movements within the body of Christ, cause there are, but imagine one with such unity and strength of numbers. I mean far more people pray every single day than people who smoke pot, I hope, so just imagine if on say on 9/20 every Christian converged on their local urban front and began to pray out loud and read scripture. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The earth would surely be shaken!

Amen!

Monday, April 19th, 2010

I was listening to a worship song recently that said ... "Your hands reached into the depths of darkness ... Your arms pulled me to the light above." It had me thinking of how far Jesus really was sent out after me, and not only because I had strayed so far, but because of how far his Father had to send him. Wow! I was far, but regardless just because I was born into sin he had to travel through so much to get to me. I feel so victorious as I walk through my day reminding myself of this truth. It gives me an assurance of how pressing the call to reach others with this truth in their own darkness is. That may be the most amazing part of this; that when he finally does grab "me" he then calls me to join him in reaching others.

I love Jesus.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010.

We recently had a Jr Soldier enrollment and it caused me to really look at the promise that these kids were making to God w/ accountability from their local body aka Corps.

Having asked God for forgiveness, I will be his loving and obedient child.

Because Jesus is my savior from sin, I will trust him to keep me good, and try to help others follow him.

I promise not to use intoxicating drink, harmful drugs and tobacco.

I promise to pray, to read my bible and, by his help, to lead a life that is clean in thought, word and deed.

This promise may seem simple or primary but I think it is fierce! What a foundation to lay in a young persons life. Even more so, what a legacy. I was recently speaking to a TC from South America and he asked me "How do you measure success?" I though about this a while and answered with several good, in my mind, explanations. He then looked at me and, with fervor, said "Membership is everything." I thought about that for a wile and have drawn a few conclusions from my own experience.

1. Everyone wants to belong to something and be a part of something bigger than themselves.

2. The opportunity for membership, all inclusive community with an all access pass if I may, gives to the enrolled the chance to walk out applied kingdom loyalty.
(Loyalty in the world is represented by what plastic grocery store card you have in your wallet to get the good deals - whereas Kingdom loyalty develops the character of faithfulness and commitment, two things lacking in the world.)

3. Membership measures success as it marks how many are willing to believe His message ,as you represent it, enough to throw in their lot and follow something of purpose and single mind.

I know that I am a member, a covenanted soldier, not only because of the spiritual leading but also because of the inspiration of seeing others around me who made me think "I want to serve Jesus like that." or "I want my life to count for something real." This is so often represented to us through the examples of our older brothers and sisters in the Faith and, the opportunity to join up not just talk up a purpose is a part of the application of our faith. In the SA I think there is even a deeper "joining" in holy purpose through our covenant. The idea of membership, in this context speaks to the greater idea of being sold out for the Gospel.

I also think that within the emergent/emerging communities we may be able to measure membership with different language.

Anyways I am enjoying this challenge from my brother.

Have you enlisted anyone lately?

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Have not been at this for over a month but jumping back in.

On the local front -- We have been blessed to start Sunday School at our local SA shelter. What a blast 20 plus kids every week just wanting to hang out. We do a monthly Pizza Party to welcome new kids and are slowly including regular Sunday school curriculum. RICH, RICH blessing.

I wonder how many of our local SA shelters have any spiritual youth programing at all. Some may and props! Scary thought though, whole untapped y.p. corps just waiting for someone to show up.

I have been contemplating our covenant lately ... more to come but man what a foothold the devil has on us trying to explain away covenant with such weak arguments like "is that even biblical. OMG!!! (seriously more to come)

Be blessed.

Happy, Saved and Free !

Tuesday March, 2nd.

A friend of mine always seemed to answer the question "How are you?" with "Happy, Saved and Free!" followed up with an almost definite " ... and, hows your soul."

It is always interesting to watch and hear how people react. Some become automatically defensive, saying "Why do you want to know?" Some people get offended, some shocked and some just think you must be one of those religious nuts.

I have decided as a spiritual experiment to include this greeting in all my conversations this week. So far it is great. Most people I have spoken to ask me to repeat myself and then when they get it, they respond with a positive "good to hear!"

It may seem like a waste of time but why not try to add a God Bless you or like sentiment to your voice mail or conversations. God words are powerful and why not throw out blessings to as many as possible. It definitely disrupts the spiritual complacency of everyday language and opens a door for further conversation.

That's my challenge, add some blessing words to your everyday words or media and see what happens.

Any ideas?

Hows your soul?
RD

Pray for me!

Yesterday when I arrived to our Community House, where we have Sunday worship cell. There was a boy waiting to talk to me. He pulled me aside and said "You have to pray for me right now!" This boy is 14 and often seems tuned out during spiritual discussions we have during worship or cell group, but here he was desperate for some prayer. It turns out he had a situation at school where he had a physical altercation with a teacher and is facing a suspension of 10 days for pushing past a teacher. He was hungry but was 2 minutes late for entering the breakfast room at school so was told to wait for lunch. He gets that there was a better way to handle the situation but now faces a 10 suspension. That being said after we had prayed I thanked God for having such a privilege ... to be available for a young man that wanted to pray so bad.

He already had been praying all weekend himself but he said he remembered that he learned in cell group that if you prayed with other people it made the prayers stronger. I guess he has been listening.

I have the best job in the world.

You can join us in praying for Brandon.

The complicated path to the simple gospel

I have been in thought these days on what, during my day, are the important things. The important things to glorifying Jesus and building his kingdom. The truth, as I am finding it, is that many of the seemingly important things in my day are not that important however great they may seem to me. I guess I am seeing that if I have not stopped to actually be with someone who needs Jesus than I have not fully walked out MY call. I am not trying to make a blanket judgement to throw on everyone else; I am only sharing where I find myself.

Here's the thing. There is a lot of administration and strategic planning that must exist to walk out mission, I am at the place these days where I am feeling less and less satisfied when I spend more of my day in "administering" it rather that flowing through it and joining with Holy Spirit to impact the lives of Gods children.

For me personally I am realizing that I can use administration and planning as protectionism from getting my hands dirty in relationship and touching a dying world. It is hard work to actually go get in the world, to not pass by the blind beggar without stopping and reaching out with pure love. Also the administration and planning can become tiresome so that I do not have very much energy left for actually ministering to the world and the body. This is a problem as the first should never prevent the latter.

So that being said, what are the important things? well, I am anew discovering a few.

1. Everyday there is somebody, somewhere in my day that needs to know that Jesus died for them and that he has a plan to bring freedom into their situation.

2. There is a brother or sister that needs encouragement.

3. The gospel lives in so many of the things that are unimportant to the world, and I have eyes to see it if I choose.

4. If I am planning my day and then administering it more than I am living it I need to do it differently tomorrow.

5. If I am not spending a significant amount of time in Gods presence and word than I am doing it on my own.

6. His grace is enough.