Friday, June 26, 2009

The Real Thing

In just a couple of hours I'll board a plane for Utah. Next week I'm leading a Workcamp for my company serving the Ute Nation in northern Utah. It's the highlight of my year to be able to work with Christian teens making a real difference in the lives of people in need.

One of the things I like most about this work is that we're not doing street theater or handing out tracts. We're actually impacting the lives of people by meeting their basic needs. That kind of thinking really upsets a lot of people who believe the most basic need is eternal salvation. In my experience people who don't have secure shelter, sufficient food or a bed to sleep in aren't much impressed with your concern for their eternity. When you help people because you love Jesus it may make them curious to know this same Jesus...or it may not. That's not really the point.

We help because Christ calls us to the task. We demonstrate love to these people and expect nothing in return. We put our faith into action, not as a recruitment tool or a sales gimmick, but out of genuine concern for the least of these. At the end of the day I'm more concerned about lives touched than a salvation body count. It's all about motivation and I truly believe people can tell the difference.

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