Wednesday, February 29, 2012

What Makes God's Eyes "Drop"

When the baby cries, Judah's world STOPS.
If Daniel starts to cry, life goes on as normal for most of our kids...except for my four-year-old son, Judah, who stops EVERYTHING he is doing and rushes to his rescue.  If Daniel needs a new diaper, Judah is hovering over us: diaper, wipes and powder in hand.  If he needs to eat, Judah is rushing around to grab blankets (and me if needed!) and gently covers him up, quietly “shushing” him or singing to him while Daniel (ever so patiently, of course!) waits for his meal!

Today while I watched Judah do his baby-care-thing it suddenly brought tears to my eyes.  While his brothers and sisters (though they do adore their little sibling) continued their important jobs of Hot-Wheels races and baby-doll dressing, Judah dropped everything to serve his brother.  When Judah finally had the pillows propped just right around the baby, he caught my eye and cocked his head,

“Mommy, why are your eyes dropping?”  He asked me.  



“I’m crying because I’m so happy, bud.  Seeing you care for Daniel blesses me and I’m proud of you.”  I kissed his forehead while Judah listened intently then shrugged as if it was no big deal but to me, it was.  As I sat snuggling our sweet baby, happy he was loved by more people than just me, something hit me: could this be how God feels to see HIS children caring for each other?  Especially when they care for someone that is helpless, a person that could never thank them or repay them?

I imagined what the view from Heaven must have been like to see Mother Teresa on her feeble knees as she held a man covered in leprosy in one arm while gently bringing a cup of water to his parched lips with the other.


AMAZING.

To see a person tenderly caring for the helpless; the sick, suffering, lonely and destitute, when NO ONE else is watching and even at the risk of their own lives at times-this must be one of the greatest acts of love in the world.


Could there be anyone that better fits the description of "the helpless" better than an orphan or widow? “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:26-27)


AMAZING.


“True” religion, the kind of service that God finds pure and faultless is to look after those among us without anyone to care for them: those without a mother, a father or a spouse to protect and provide for them.


The way I read this verse leaves me with no option: this is not a suggestion, it’s a command.  I see NO clause of exception for “busy mommas with lots of babies” or “families that are on a tight budget”.  Indeed, when I read these words: conviction is heavy on my heart, leading me to my knees where I press God for an answer to my question.

“God, what are you calling ME to do TODAY to help your children in need?  What am I to do with my family to serve the orpahns and widows?”  Whatever God may answer needs our urgent attention.  It means we drop everything (Hot-Wheels racing and rat-race running too!) and tend to the child who is lonely, the girl who is sick, the boy being raised without a father, the woman grieving a great loss of love.  We MUST care or we need to ask ourselves: are we TRULY obeying our Father?



When we answer His call, I imagine there are few other things on this world that make God’s “eyes drop” than to see his children caring for each other out of a selfless heart.  


Once again, I am speechless at what I learn from a child.


AMAZING.

P.S.  If you're wondering a good place to start in helping orphans and widows, check out this wonderful organization that has a passion to reach the helpless among us: International Justice Mission

1 comment:

Frazzled-Razzle-RN said...

Thanks for the reminder today to love others. Thanks for showing those sweet sweet pictures of your new baby.