When push comes to shove...

What are you going to do... when push comes to shove?

I pose this question as I sit at my main line 32,000.000 dollar a year school.
I pose this question knowing the majority of the people who end up reading this will be reading this in either the comfort of their safe suburban home with a white fence, or their office of the job that provides for them.

I was teaching up in Valley Kids this morning, but was lucky enough to sneak downstairs for a good ten minutes of Pastor Brian's message... From what I heard, he passionately was able to say that basically talking about doing something, and going and doing something are two completely different things... He talked about his dislike for HomeTeams that just sit around and talk.

I feel like that has been a theme that has occurred in my life over and over again that I just can't seem to shake. But the difference is incredible...

The book of James tells us boldly, "14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?" To tell you the truth, I have been asking that same question over and over again.

Brian also shared with us another piece of scripture; let’s see if it is familiar to any of you... also in James it says, "27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..." Want me to tell you what widows and orphans are… They are those who can’t provide for themselves… those who didn’t ask for the situations they are in… those who just strait up need… help

I want to tell you about some "widows and orphans" that I got to cross paths with today…

Tonight was an incredibly difficult night... Throughout my journey I got to deal with two suicidal single mothers… another person who was inflicting harm upon themselves and two homeless teens who have been sleeping behind a barn… and one of them is one month pregnant…

What are you going to do when push comes to shove?

What do you do when helping others is inconvenient? When do you do when you finally learn that Brian’s message was no just some every day Sunday message meant to make you think and enjoy your Sunday experience? What do you do when you realize that for most of the world, life is full of pain, hurt and sacrifice? What does it take for a sermon to go from Brian’s words to your ears, to your hearts to your actions?

I spent the night making hours of phone calls and driving all over the place… On the drive back, I wanted to cry, but I couldn’t. I am so thankful that God has brought all of these terrible situations into my life so I can never forget that this world isn’t and never will be about me…

I really HAVE been asking myself that same question recently. I’m proud to say I was able to start an ACTION HomeTeam with Bob Connor in the last couple of weeks from the group of people that I went to Mexico with in May. This last week we saw a need and just served our brother. We got dirty, and we had lots of laughs and conversation. That spoke way louder to him than any Bible Verse that I could have spat at him.

I just feel like sometimes I have to ask myself, “What am I doing with my life right now?” Why am I at school for youth ministry when all of the hard stuff that happens you could never even learn in school?

I ask that question knowing that God has given me the tools that I need to handle the really hard night that I was faced with tonight.

I’m using what I know, and I’m using what God has given me to go out there and just… DO… No more talking… Just DO…

I was scared to call anyone tonight because I knew it was an inconvenience and I wasn’t sure anyone could deal with the hardship of taking in some teens that have really been to hell and back…

I shouldn’t be scared of that… I should have a list miles long…

But through all of this I just need you to do more than just think about Brian’s message this morning.

I want you to do more than just talk about Brian’s message this morning

I want you to DO Brian’s message.

Jesus called us to drop our fishing lines, our lives… and follow him… wherever that may take you. It may take you places you never want to go. But that is what following Jesus is about.

As a community we cannot be a church of comfort and talking… If that is what we think good religion is, then count me out.

And PLEASE do not let this come across like I am doing something so right and everyone else has it wrong... God knows just how awful at this I have been... I just don't feel like I can do it anymore. Maybe you've been there. This is something we need to chase after together.

I may sound like a crazy person on some crazy rant, or maybe, just maybe, I am someone who is finally seeing the hurt that lives in our own backyard…

Let us love some people unconditionally... Let us DO.

When push comes to shove… I choose shove… what about you?