I was personally struck in hearing that these young ladies had went to their father with no coaching and or suggestion from anyone older. It was simply a desire that was present and awakened in their own hearts. To think that on a no particular summer day in America, these young ladies took it to themselves to remember me and my family literally brings tears to my eyes. Our family's service here can at times be defined as very lonely work and honestly the news of this could not have come at a better time for me to have heard it. The Lord is truly good to His children and I am humbled particularly in His continual faithfulness and care for my family.
After all their work had been accomplished, flyers distributed and bibles passed out, their total amount to send to the work here will be a total of $7.26. Did you get that? $7.26! Brothers and sisters this is holy money. Money that I will give an account for. The shear weight of this responsibility tonight causes me greatly to reflect on the smallness and non-importance of who I am in the presence of who Christ is and the work that is before us here! These young ladies can not imagine how God is using their $7.26 to ignite an awareness within my own heart to "not despise the day of small things". Tonight before I go to bed these young ladies have been instruments in taking me to the scriptures as I am reminded of Mark 12:41-44:
"And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called His disciples to him said to them, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."
Girls (as well as so many others of you young people who work so diligently), thank you all! Thank you for holding the rope and sharing in our struggle as our family goes down into the well. Thank you for allowing the Lord to use you as you are doing your part in sharing the loving, saving message of the gospel to the ends of the earth.
AND PARENTS! Thank you for allowing your children to literally catch your own excitement, joy and zeal in all such matters. We are so very thankful to have families like you all who are not merely telling with your mouths only, your kids the importance of Christ's Glory and that they should care about such matters. However, we thank you that you are actually living this out in front of your children and merely inviting them to come along with you on this journey together. Passion such as this is usually never taught as much as it is caught.. Keep it up!
Remember discipleship must first begin with our very own children if we hope to ever see it affect the rest of our world. Before we go looking for people to disciple (not that we should not seek others, we should!), we must first start with our own families. For only a little while, God has entrusted our children to our care.What are we doing with the time we have left? How are we inviting them to join us in our own love and desire for Christ and His glory? What do they see us most desirous for? What do they see in our own love and commitment to prayer and to scripture?
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