“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.
“This is the crisis we’re in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is.”
– John 3: 16-20 (MSG)
I pulled up to a stoplight and she was there with a cardboard sign, needing money for food. I had given the last of my cash to a homeless friend after church on Sunday, so I had no money to offer her.
I rolled down my window anyways.
“I’m sorry I can’t offer you any money, but I do hope you have a good day,” I said.
“Thanks,” she said. “Most people just look away. It’s nice that you’re talking to me.”
I offered her a granola bar we had in the car, but it wasn’t appealing to her. She apologetically explained her dislike of that particular snack. I assured her she was welcome to refuse it if she didn’t want it. I thought of how many of our friends who live on the street have told us that they’ve been shamed for not taking anything and everything offered to them. They weary of being given the same things everyday. Hope for a hot meal beats strong in their hearts.
We chatted for a minute before the light turned green, sending me on my way, to baseball games for my son. As I drove away, I asked God to give her the gift of belonging. Homelessness and poverty exist because of cracks and voids in our communities, and only belonging can build the bridge to a new life.
Belonging seems to be the prayer of my life right now.
My preteen and teenage sons are facing the big world of life, trying to figure out who they are, who their friends are, and how to belong to Jesus in the middle of the challenging years of becoming men. I pray more now for their friendships than I ever have before.
It feels like I roll up daily and see their growing souls out there on the corner, needing answers to feed them. Who am I? What do I like? What do I want most today? Do I fit in? Do I stand out? How can I be myself and still belong to God?
They really have to find their way through on their own two feet. I pray they won’t just take whatever is offered to them by whoever happens to drive by their life. Daily I roll my window down and say something encouraging to remind them that, come what may out there in the world, they will always belong here, in this family and in my heart.
But what about this heart of mine? What about my own weary needfulness? What about all the ways I fail to be a good friend, a good mom, a good wife, and a good minister? Who am I? Where do I belong?
My heart has to remember it belongs to God, come what may. Each of us needs time away from the needfulness of others to have our own need satisfied. We need the word of God calling us to the center of Himself, to His love and mercy, held out the cosmic window in the gospel. Like a hot meal for our innermost selves, Jesus offers us what we most need- not an accusing finger pointing at all the ways we have tried to just eat whatever is available, but a Light that can show us the truth so we can live a whole and lasting life in Him.
We belong in God, even when we don’t feel like we belong anywhere else. When all the people around us look away, too busy or too burdened with their own lives to lift us up, He has arms that are never too weak to carry us back to the safe hiding place of His love. Each of us is on our own path, following the Light deeper into our knowledge of God. Resting in Him centers us so we can get back up on our feet and draw others to the center of God, too.
Dear weary heart, today, you belong. There’s no need to fear. You aren’t alone. We all need the same thing, really. Roll down your window and tell the whole world about our Jesus. They’ll be grateful you stopped to chat, and that you didn’t just look away.
And who knows? Maybe you’ll be the beginning of their journey to belonging.
As usual, your words came right on time. Yesterday I was lamenting to myself (and perhaps God) that I was missing something, but I couldn’t quite articulate what that was. Reading your words now, I realize that I was looking for (am looking for) belonging. It’s always easiest to look to other people for that community or friendship or greater sense of self. But we receive so much more if we look to Our Father. Hopefully I will get better at turning to Him and seeing that I have always belonged to Him.