Saturday, September 27, 2008

Knocking...

Posted by Cham McCutchen at 9:46 AM


I am learning to answer...
the door when it comes to opportunities. They tend to knock at the weirdest times (well for me at least) and they usually teach me a pretty life changing lesson. These moments are not random or chance, they are God-moments that He puts in my life that meet and teach me when I am ready to sit and listen. 
     I have been on a journey with God to really understand and live out the life He intended for us to live. Right now, it has sat me down at understanding opportunities. When I was a middle school pastor, I think I missed a bunch of opportunities in my personal life that God was wanting to do. I was about myself to a degree and really was focused more on the convenience of my life than answering to God's lesson. If you interviewed me then, I would have responded with..."I have to focus on middle school. I don't have time for ____________(fill in the blank)." I had the time, but not the heart. When I say heart, I mean the love of Christ to the point of setting my life, time, and everything else to the side to accomplish both big and small for the Kingdom.
     This gets me to an encounter I had in Homewood the other day. I was finishing up my day of graphics, job hunting, etc at O'henry's when I decided to walk store to store on the strip. So, I made my way around. If you have never done that in old historic Homewood, then you need too. So, I made my trek around the strip and was 100 yards from my car when a lady stopped me in the middle of the street. "Excuse me sir....", she said. I already knew what she was going to say: "I need something." (Don't be self-righteous it goes through everybody's head) - Well, I of course politely responded, "Yes, ma-am...can I help you?" "Do you have any change or money that I can have for food", she asked. I responded, "no..I never carry cash...just plastic (check card)." So...I apologized and started to make what seemed like the longest turn of my life (think of the movie the Matrix - that kind of slow). I started rambling in my heart and head..check the ramble below:

I would love to help her, but no money.
If I gave her money, would she really use it for food or drugs or something else?
I could buy her food with my check card.
I am only 50 yards away from my car.
Wow, I am Deja Vu - (this was my ADD acting up in the midst of this)
I really want to help her...
God responds quietly: Least of these You help me...
I need to save...there is bound to be someone else..
I am called to live a life that loves and serves...
I need Jesus to be Jesus in the situation....I am doing this.

::Above: I put this here because I wanted to show that we all walk through this process in our mind and heart (at least I think so)::

"You know...let's go get ya something", I said with a smile as I turned back around.

     I ended up going to 8 (kid you not) different eateries because she didn't like certain foods. I found out that she was a hurricane refugee. She and her family fled up here from Ike. Most of her family is now back home but her and her little girl still live in a cheap hotel with no job and hardly any money. My heart broke. Her life displaced and she is just trying to survive. I kind of know that feeling in other realms of my life. So, I ended up finding a place that she liked and I bought her food. I wish I could of done more. I wish as a Believer I wish I could have done more. I would have loved to be "Extreme Home makeover" and build her a house, but I think the sandwich and my patient meant more to her. 
     I would have never had the opportunity to let God not only use me but change me IF I hadn't answered when He knocked in the middle of the street. I walked away from that encounter with a deeper passion for people. I walked away with a deeper passion for helping the body of Christ be the real body of Christ in this world. I think we miss so many God-moments because of our reserves and comfort zones. Whether or not the lady's story was legit, I was called to serve and reach out to her. She knew I was a believer because I talked to her about it. So..I really wrote this to encourage all to take those opportunities when they knock and open the door. It will be uncomfortable, uneasy, and totally against your flesh, BUT when you respond...the experience is unexplainable.   much luv~cham

 

1 Comment:

  1. jskeen said...
    September 30, 2008 at 8:39 AM  
    Hey Cham, I had similar experience last week except I was walking close to a church that had recently moved. The young lady came up to me & wanted to know where they were, the church, she said they had given her free food in the past & they needed gas to get to a sick family member. I was blessed to be able to help her and her grandmother. I was also excited to see a church with such a reputation. As a member of the body of Christ I pray that my life will demonstrate the love of
    Jesus toward others.

    Invest in Eternity, Invest in People.

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