Part 1 of 2

Kind words, cleaning, and cookies. All were part of the summed up experience of last week at SEED’s Mercy Monday’s service effort. A recent boiling desire that God has put in me to grow spiritually has been leading me to seek how I can become more active in following Christ. Learning that God has promised us that we reap that which we sow¹ my desire to work became for Him surfaced, energized by faith. Now I was equipped, ready to do some service. SEED was there-ready to provide an opportunity for me to practice what I had been taught².

This would be my first time coming. With thoughts swirling in my head, I wasn’t really sure what was to be resulting from the evening, but I had been hearing about this thing for a little while now and decided I would come out and see what it was all about. What I found was that it was exactly what it was supposed to be about-sharing the love of Jesus Christ through acts of service and relationships. Being welcomed and greeted like family coming through the lobby doors of the 930 is a good way to start a night just as it is any Sunday morning. Already love was in the air (in a very Christ-like way) as I was set into a group where introductions and conversation were ready to flow like milk and honey. “Hi, I’m Sue…hey it’s Josh, man…my name is Tristan” and several others made their handshaking rounds. New friends were my shipmates and we were ready to embark on the journey upon our ship Service, to where I knew not. All I was aware of was that we commissioned to pirate a house of it’s dirt and disorganization-in other words we were cleaning. I found that the house belonged to a man by the name Austin, who I would soon meet.

We pulled out of the parking lot and made our way to the destination just a few blocks away. Entering house, an instant welcome from Michelle, Austin’s wife, followed by a comfort thick enough to sit down in like a lazy-boy recliner settled and quickly converted my attention to Austin-a nice, jolly fellow with a personality that seemed appropriate for a Broadway actor. He likes soccer (go England!) and used to play violent video games, but doesn’t anymore because he says that he can find more productive things to do (Amen). As he began to speak about how he came in contact with Sojourn and the love that experienced from that connection, his appearance became translucent, revealing a beating heart with kind words galore-a man that had been touched by the heart of Christ working through people. Soon enough we would continue this love by cleaning up their home, from the floor up. Gathering some scattered elementary school papers from the ground, my mind was focusing on a few things: the people around me, all being and working together, loving in fellowship to love the Lord our God with our hearts, minds, souls, and strength. There was no arguments or complaints of housework, just love. I’m not sure about you, but I don’t usually get these thoughts when I clean out where I live…The house was perfect soil to plant seeds for relationships as it was doused with the reign of Christ-like love coming from the shroud of group effort. Opportunity for building relationships was almost imminent. I was cleaning the floorboards when I first got a chance to talk to Austin and Michelle’s daughter, Chasity. With a gentle kindness she extended a tupperware full of cookies that I would not be refusing³. We quickly made friends as we discussed her 5^th grade career. We talked about school subjects leading to my learning that she likes math and is pretty good at it as I found out after quizzing her on a few problems. She also seems to take a special interest in juggling, so we tossed around a few objects and then ate some more cookies.    Thinking back it doesn’t feel like I had given up my Monday…it wasn’t like that at all. If anything, through the love that I experienced and became part of, I had gained an evening. Friends, conversing, and cookies are ingredients usually found at a party or mixer of some sort. Tonight they were part of our service to Jesus.

Read Part 2 of 2 tomorrow.  Jeff Armstrong, the author of this blog, attends Sojourn and can be reached at jeffarmstronginChrist@gmail.com.

¹ Galatians 6:9 ⁹And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.

² James 2: 14, 18  ¹⁴What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  ¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

³ 1 Timothy 4:4 ⁴For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,