11.18.2010 | By: Morgan

The Referral Game

"'Referral' is a game devised by people helpers to assist the needy in finding help somewhere else. It appears kind and is laced with compassionate words. It can be played by all kinds of churches and agencies. The only requirement is the purchase of a social service directory and a volunteer to dispense appropriate information. 
"'Referral' is an attractive game for churches. Christians can discharge their responsibility to the hungry, naked, and the homeless with efficiency and cost effectiveness. Referral requires little personal contact with the poor.
"Referral is serious, too, because it deludes the resourced people of God into believing they have fed, clothed, and housed 'the least of these.' In fact they have neither sharied their bread, nor given their second coat, nor invited a stranger into their home. Referral allows us to process poverty with rubber-gloved safety rather than enter the contaminating world of redemptive relationships." - Robert D. Lupton

 Matthew 25:40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’


Morgan }|{ "Look at Jesus only."

The Very Appearance - Take Up Your Cross

"Avoiding the very appearance of evil speaks "of values of a different kind. The words call for sensitivity to the lifestyle struggles of others. they cautioned against wounding the conscience of a fragile believer or causing young faith to turn cynical. They spoke of Audis - the honest and right things in life that mus be relinquished for the sake of others. The Audi was something good. But using the money given for the urban ministry among the poor to support the luxurious lifestyle of an urban worker, that was evil. Even its appearance was to be shunned.
So what was the higher value - - Good stewardship or avoiding the appearance of evil? What about the hypocrisy of of driving a 'humble' car when we could really afford better? Our motives are never pure anyway. Christians are supposed to judge each other, so why become captive to uninformed opinions?" - Robert D. Lupton

I often play this same tug-of-war with myself and Jesus. And it helps when I have other people pulling on my side: "O you don't have to do that" "You need to think about yourself" "That's legalism" "You're talking it too far, chill out. Jesus will be proud of you no matter what" "It's not that big of a deal" "You're too hard on yourself" "Be happy" "You deserve . . " "Don't burn yourself out" "They just want. . . " "You're not Jesus"

Well, actually as far as God is concerned, I am kind of Jesus. When God looks at me, He sees His son. I believe that these same "Helpful suggestions" though coming from a good place, are the same words (in a different form) that Peter spoke in Matthew 16:


22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

And how did Jesus respond?

 23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.

I would much rather receive Peter's comforting words and allow them to put my mind at rest than resist him by seeing them for what they really were: Lies from the pit of hell.

Lupton goes on to finish his story:

"I would have liked to continue this rational filibuster for the next several years while I enjoyed driving the Audi. But when I became quiet before God I was aware of that gentle nudging, familiar to all believers, toward the laying down of life an the other valued things for the sake of brothers and sisters."

Is this not what Jesus Christ requires of all of us?:

 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

We complain so often of not knowing what to do. Which path to take. Which choice we should make. I believe our Lord makes it very clear. If the choice is self-sacrificing and cross-carrying and life-giving, surely it is the right choice. It will bring glory to our King and be a heavenly aroma before Him. And surely He will give us the strength to do the work He requires of us.

To our God and Father be praise for now and ever more through His Son, our Brother, Jesus Christ! O how I love Him! O how I love Him!

Morgan }|{ "Look at Jesus only."

O Your Deep Deep Love

Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus
Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free
Rolling as a mighty ocean
In its fullness over me
Underneath me, all around me
Is the current of Your love
Leading onward, leading homeward
To Your glorious rest above

Oh the deep, deep love
All I need and trust
Is the deep, deep love of Jesus

Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus
Spread His praise from shore to shore
How He came to pay our ransom
Through the saving cross He bore
How He watches o’er His loved ones
Those He died to make His own
How for them He’s interceding
Pleading now before the throne

Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus
Far surpassing all the rest
It’s an ocean full of blessing
In the midst of every test
Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus
Mighty Savior, precious Friend
You will bring us home to glory
Where Your love will never end

© 2008 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI)

Kind of Upset :(

3 things have really gotten to me lately:

1. how mean people can be about others. While working with a group this week, I heard a guy trashing his friend, which really surprised me.And a girl talking really bad about another girl who has serious issues. Aside from that, two other girls were talking about drinking all the time.
I really don't know how to act in those situations. I want to be the type to "eat with sinners" but what do I say? How do communicate in a way that promotes love? And inspire others to do the same? While still witnessing to the people doing the damage. I wanted to leave SO bad, just walk away. But I can't imagine that that's the answer. So I stayed and tried to be warm and friendly. But I couldn't help feeling like it was a failed mission as I walked toward my car afterwards . . .

2. *Sigh* It's so hard to REALLY REALLY like people and want to be around them but hate when they use God's Name in vain.I want to ask them to stop, but I want to be able to witness without turning them off. It just bothers me and I feel slightly helpless. . .

3. Secular Student Alliance. I just don't know why they all have to get together. Ok, you don't believe in God. Why talk about it? Do you really need group support for that? I mean, what do they do: probably talk about how much they hate Christians the whole time and how stupid we are. But I can't say that without acctually attending a meeting so . . . .I'm thinking about going to a meeting.

Behold! Do not let your heart be troubled! For He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world. And take heart, for He has overcome the world.

Morgan }|{ "Look at Jesus only."