A Heart for People

We Skyped with our missionary children and grandchildren Friday night our time (breakfast time for them). We talked about many things, one of them being their new church plant. While eating her pancakes, Rebekah (6) shared that she wanted to help the other children at the new church.

I said, "Wonderful! God's given you a caring heart for people."

A puzzled expression crossed her face. "I'm a Christian," she said. "Why wouldn't I have a heart for people?"

Indeed. Good question, Rebekah. A compelling one.

One that cuts right to the quick. And to the very heart of Christianity.

If we bear Christ's name, should we not also share His love with those around us?

Romans 12:9-21 details what Christian behavior toward others looks like. May I encourage you to read this practical passage? The verses fall on the heels of Paul's discussion about spiritual gifts. This comes as no surprise. The gifts of the Holy Spirit have been entrusted to us so that we can effectively reach out to others. The exercise of our gifts is love in action.

 
Godly devotion, diligence, service, perseverance, joy, prayer, contribution, hospitality, humility, respect, forgiveness, and victory are key components—the very essence of Christian living.

Perhaps it's time we asked ourselves Rebekah's challenging question, "I'm a Christian, why wouldn't I have a heart for people?"

Let's be courageous! Ask the Holy Spirit to peel back the layers of our hearts (through all the rationalizations, defensiveness, woundedness, worldliness, negative thoughts, pride, anger, and fear) and shine His searchlight in the deep places. Then act on what He reveals. We may need to confess specific sin. Sin in our lives blocks our ability to love and reach out to others.

Sin falls into two categories:

1. Sins of commission: When we do what is contrary to God's Word/sins that violate God's Law (which is primarily God's Law of Love). This type of sin can take many forms in thought or deed. We lash out in anger; we take revenge; we succumb to a bad habit or addictive behavior; we lust, lie, or steal from our employer. Sometimes, we're aware of our offense; other times we're clueless. But in every case, our sin eventually affects not only ourselves but others around us.

2. Sins of omission: When we don't do what God's Law of Love asks us to do. Romans 12:9-21 is a good place to start if you wonder what God wants you to do as a Christian.

Every day, we need to confess the sins on the "front of us" (the sins we are aware of) and the sins on the "back of us" (the sins we're not aware of).

When we're honest with ourselves and with God about our sin, He will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Then we are in a position of godly strength to fulfill Romans 12:9-21.

We can join Rebekah in saying, "I'm a Christian. Why wouldn't I have a heart for people?"

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Eileen Rife, author of Second Chance, speaks to women’s groups, encouraging them to discover who they are in Christ and what part they play in His amazing story. www.eileenrife.com, www.eileen-rife.blogspot.com, www.guardyourmarriage.com.

The Body at Work

Alone in the church bathroom. Just a teenage girl and me. She leaned into the mirror and picked at her eye. Curls cascaded down her back. Tight jeans hugged her legs, while a vintage blouse added a feminine touch to her torso.

I dried my hands and tossed the waded towel in the trash, then flashed a smile at the girl. Her head jerked my way. A glimmer of a grin broke out as she adjusted her purse strap on her shoulder. I’d never seen her at church.

“Are you visiting?” I ventured, chewing on the corner of my mouth, almost afraid to ask. Given the size of our congregation, I’d mistaken a parishioner for a visitor on more than one occasion.

“Yes.” Her face turned pink.

What story lay hidden within this lovely young woman?

I cocked my head and said, “What’s your name?”

“Sara.”

“Ah, lovely.” I extended my hand. “My name’s Eileen. Is this your first time with us?”

She nodded.

I felt an odd desire to reach out to this girl. “Would you like to sit with me?” I had no idea if there’d be enough room on the row where I typically sat. I took a deep breath and pressed on, praying the Lord would work out the seating.

“Okay,” she peeped, then trailed behind me all the way to the second row from the front, to the right of the sanctuary.

We sat waiting for the service to begin—a gray-haired grandma in the autumn of her life and a honey-colored teen blossoming with fresh possibility and potential. Yet I sensed something was wrong.

Was she running from an overbearing father? Reeling from a romantic breakup? What propelled her to our doors on a rainy Sunday morning?  

I smoothed a hand over my slacks as chatter filled the room and praise team members took their spots on the platform. “What brought you here today, Sara?”

Her lips twitched as she clutched her purse. “I saw the sign and wanted to try it out.”

“Do you live close by?”

“Yes, not far from here.” Her gaze lowered.

The drummer tapped out a beat with his sticks, signaling the piano, guitars, saxophone, and trumpet to follow. We stood to our feet and joined the praise team in “How Great is Our God.”

All through the songs, the message, and the invitation, I prayed for this young girl—that God would grip her heart and bring her home to His heart. I panned the middle section to identify other teenagers with whom I might connect Sara.

Sure enough, Krissy, Laura, and Reba sat on the front row, eager new converts, their love for Jesus palpable. After the pastor’s final amen, I knew what I needed to do.  

I turned to Sara. “Can I introduce you to some friends?”

A hesitant nod.

I smiled. “Okay, then.” I gently guided her to the circle of girls. Krissy’s eyes questioned me as she stepped to the side, then her lips parted in a wide grin.

“Krissy, this is Sara. She’s visiting today, for the first time.”

Like an ocean wave gently tugging at the shoreline, Krissy drew her in, talking to her as if she’d known her all her life.

The connection made, I withdrew, confident I’d played my part for the present.

A few weeks later, Krissy bounded toward me after the Sunday morning service. “You’ll never guess what happened. The girl—Sara—the one you brought over to me . . . well, after you left I said, ‘Do you want to get together and talk about Jesus? She said, ‘Yeah.’ So we did. And ya know what?”

I shook my head, Krissy’s enthusiasm filling me like soap bubbles rising in a bathtub.

“She invited Jesus into her life. We’re gonna meet again and talk more about Him.”

By now, my husband Chuck was at my side. He pulled us into a prayer circle, and we lifted up Sara and Krissy for the work He wanted to do.

I left that encounter marveling at the Holy Spirit’s leading. When we’re sensitive to His voice, when we pray and watch, He brings people into our lives who need His touch. Christ wants to use His Body, each member, to fulfill His mission. When we cooperate with His plan, we step full circle into celebration.

His Body at work. It doesn’t get more beautiful than that!

~~

Eileen Rife, author of Laughing with Lily, speaks to women’s groups, encouraging them to discover who they are in Christ and what part they play in His amazing story. www.eileenrife.com, www.eileen-rife.blogspot.com, www.guardyourmarriage.com.

   

   

  

Things I've Learned as a Writer

  I’ve enjoyed telling stories since I was a child sharing tales with other neighborhood kids. In school, my teachers often praised my papers, and English was my favorite subject. In college, I started a journal to process my spiritual journey. When I shared a few entries with one of the piano instructors, she said, “Eileen, your writing flows so beautifully. I know God’s going to use it.” I’ve been journaling on some level ever since.

Then in 1992, a couple in the church we’d joined asked if I’d write a children’s skit for a family event. I still don’t know how they thought to ask me. God knows.

For the next seven years, I wrote church drama and newsletter articles. That small body of believers encouraged me, saying, “Eileen, your writing speaks to my heart;” “Eileen, you need to publish that play.”

Although I’d sheepishly submitted an article once to a Christian magazine, I’d never thought seriously about publication until 1998 when my husband, Chuck, asked if I’d write a syllabus for the marriage seminars we planned to conduct. I said, “Why not a book?”

The power of positive feedback fueled my efforts, and by 2000, I held my first self-published book coauthored with Chuck. My editor said, “Eileen, some people only have one book in them. You have several.” God’s gift ignited in me, and I went on to author two more non-fiction books before turning my focus to periodical writing.

Each step of the way, God gave me a specific goal in order to fulfill my writing vision. He’s never let me down.

While I never thought I’d write fiction, I opened my heart to the possibility when God woke me one morning in 2005 with the title, Journey to Judah, on my mind. Journey to Judah is a love story inspired by my single daughter’s call to career missions in India.

OakTara published Journey to Judah in 2008, followed by four other novels. They’ve been one of my best cheerleaders in my writing venture.

I’ve learned a few things over twenty-one years of active writing. In no particular order, here are a few of them.

1.     Writing is a lonely profession, but readers’ needs keep me company.

2.     On occasion, writing blows every brain circuit, and I need a rest.

3.     Sometimes writing comes easier in the woods.

4.     A walk around the block clears my head and energizes my spirit.

5.     Singing in the morning sets me up for a happy workday.

6.    A hug from Chuck before he heads off to work encourages me to take the next step to my writing office.

7.    A good book educates and entertains me, while a nap replenishes me in the afternoons.

8.    God continually wants me to humble my heart.

9.     I must view writing critiques with an objective eye then make a decision.

10.  The writing process both reveals and shapes my character.

11.  No one thinks my words are as important as I do.

12.  I need large doses of quiet time to detect what God has for me.

13. Only God knows the impact of my writing.

14. When I engage in other art forms, I enhance my writing.

15.  Journal entries, family times, friendships, service, and mission trips can ignite ideas.

16. Some of my best writing originates out of the deepest places of pain.

17. Only other writers understand a writer’s life.

18. To write is to be vulnerable.

19. I must write.

20.  A biblical worldview informs my writing.

21. There is no subject so small I can’t write about it, for God’s lessons abound everywhere.

22. Writing for God’s glory is my chief desire.

23. I love to write; I hate to write. And I suspect it will always be so, at least on this side of heaven.

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Eileen Rife, author of Laughing with Lily, speaks to women’s groups, encouraging them to discover who they are in Christ and what part they play in His amazing story. www.eileenrife.com,