Wednesday, October 14

When is the last time you really went out of your way for someone?

I remember a story told from Africa where a young boy brought an American missionary a beautiful, large, exotic piece of fruit as a gift. It was a rare treasure out there in the remote bush. She knew that the closest place to get such a piece was several miles away. When she commented that he must have walked a long way for this piece of fruit, he said, "The walk was part of the gift."

The men in Luke 5 struggled to carry their friend on the mat over the desert, across rocks, to another town in order to bring him to Jesus. The walk was part of the gift. Why would they do such a thing? Because they knew it would make a difference.

Years from now, the new building will be filled with youth hanging out in their new space, adults meeting in the Commons and thousands of people worshipping in the new sanctuary. Many will never know what we went through and sacrificed to give them this gift. But we will know and God will know that all the prayers and all the meetings and all the sacrifice were part of the gift. Why would we do such a thing? For the same reason these men carried their friend. We know that it will make a difference.