Today I had the privilege of spending the day out and about with my momma, running errands and such, and I realized something. Everywhere I go(almost) there are people on the side of road with cardboard signs asking for something. Money, gas, a job, etc., and I think the same thing every time I see them; why don't they just go get a job? I think for a lot of us this is the first thing that comes to mind when we see these people. Why don't they go out and make a better life for themselves? It's confusing(and a tad frustrating) to see people doing this and watch others give them money or gas when we work hard to make a good living for ourselves while their just handed things. Today it kind of hit me that we are all a little guilty of this. in Luke 15:11-32, Jesus tells us the parable of the prodigal son or the lost son. I know it's a little long and most of you have most likely read it before, but I encourage you to read it again and focus on the older brother.
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his propertybetween them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. 25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ 31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” I think that sometimes we can be a lot like the older brother. His younger brother took all the money and ran away from his father, but I think it's important to recognize that the money represents sin. So, basically he ran off with his inheritance to sin while his older brother remained faithful to his father, working hard and obeying him. When the younger son realized what he had done, he ran back home and his father embraced him in love, welcoming him back home. The older brother became angry when we saw how happy and forgiving his father was being to the son that had betrayed him, when he had been nothing but faithful. When I see someone on the side of the road asking for money, I become a lot like the older brother. I ask myself, "Why does he receive money from others when there are so many opportunities to earn it for himself?" After seeing families and children in Belize that literally have nothing and don't beg for money or food from people that they know have it, I get a little angry seeing people here do it. I get a little frustrated with God, just like the oldest son. I know that these situations aren't exactly the same, but I think that it's a good comparison. Maybe these people will take the money you or someone else will give them and run away to buy something sinful with it, but if Jesus loves them, so should we. You might be the only Jesus they receive. You don't have to gift them with money, maybe print off a bible verse and hand it them, but try to love them and others even when it seems like you can't. When we see others that maybe don't work as hard or maybe seem to sin more than us, remember that God loves us all the same and he sees all sin equally. My challenge for you would be this: Try to be more like the father this week. Be forgiving, slow to anger, and full of love. I think a lot of us can easily associate with the older brother, when we should be striving to be like our father. Take a minute to think about your life and figure out which of the three characters you are right now, and which one you'd like to be more like. I challenge you to find steps that relate to you and your life to help you become more like the character you'd like to be. I hope you could relate to this post and to the story of the lost son today! We can all get lost, but it's important to remember that our God will always be there to welcome us home. Happy Friday!! God Bless, Sydney
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As a Christian that just got back from a mission trip, it seems strange that I'm telling you not to go, right? A lot of people, mostly christians(including myself), push the idea of going on a mission trip. Once you've been and experienced God's love in a different setting, there's no going back. There's a feeling that you get from a service trip that you can't quite get anywhere else. So, why am I telling you not to go? Many people accept the offer to go serve others without really knowing what they will be doing. For many of us, we've heard God's call to go and spread his love with others, but what happens after that? I've come up with some of the things I think you should know before going on any kind of mission trip, and if it isn't right for you, or you don't feel a call to go, it's okay. Mission trips are not for everyone and that's okay because there are so many other amazing ways to spread God's love!
Be willing to share your testimony with others When sharing God's love with others, its important to know why you love him and what events in your life brought you to him. It is somethings hard to share those stories with others, but it could be the thing that changes someones life. Practice your testimony before you leave and start sharing it with others in your home town! Learn to be flexible Unfortunately, stretching isn't the answer to this one! A lot goes on during a mission trip and it's easy to focus on how you want things to go rather than how God wants things to go. Keep an open mind and go with the flow. Let go and let God. Attitude check When you're on a trip with a group of other people, it's important to have a positive outlook on the whole experience. It'a normal hot and you're tired and sweaty, but complaining about those things brings the whole group down. By keeping a positive outlook, you're lifting up the group and people will start to notice. It's important to remember that people will know we are christians by our love and actions. It's a lot of work Mission trips aren't easy. They are filled with long, hot days and early mornings followed by late nights. Devotions can be emotional, so you'll be physically and mentally exhausted. just remember that you're doing God's work. No experience is the same Just like everyday tasks, doing the same thing twice can yield two different endings. Your first trip could be completely different from the second or third or fourth. You may feel God's presence more the first time or vice versa. The same thing goes for people. No one's experience is the same. Don't compare your trip and emotions and relationship with God to anyone else's. Be open You never know how God is planning to work through you or the people you're serving. Be open to feeling his love in different ways. Be a freak for Jesus We said this all the time in Belize and I think it's so true. Immerse yourself in the experience and don't hold back. If you're doing a bible school and there's music, dance and sing even if you feel like strange. Being in love with Jesus can sometimes be strange, but I think it shows others how willing we are to be a little different. People will question you 98% of the time the people you will be serving aren't Christians. They have doubts about Jesus and why we follow him, and that's okay. People will have questions, make sure you have answers. He' still here after the trip It can be difficult to come home after a mission trip and feel God's presence as strongly as you did. It's easy to let him fade from our lives when we're not surrounded by other christians, seeing his work on display. Find things that keep your spiritual high burning when you come home and don't let the light of God burn out. I hope this post was helpful in some way! Please know that I am in no way trying to push people away from going on mission trips. They can be a wonderful experience, that if you're feeling lead to do, can change your life. These were just some of my tips for those unsure of what mission work is like. Thank you so much for reading! I hope ya'll like the new blog! God bless, Sydney In less than 7 hours, I will be in Belize along with an amazing team of christians sharing Gods love. It's been incredible to see how God has worked through each of us as we've been getting prepared to serve for the next 10 days. My heart is so full by the many blessings I've received from so many people. It is crazy how many times Belize has casually come up in conversation and the people I've bumped into have either been or know someone that has. Just this week at work, a man in my line was wearing a shirt from Belize and I knew it was a sign from God. I am so excited and ready(and a little nervous) for this trip and everything that comes with it. I really enjoyed blogging each day while in Ohio for my last mission trip, but I will not be doing that for this one. I want to dive into this experience wholeheartedly without distractions, so my phone will be staying here in the U.S. I'm taking my camera and GoPro along with me to capture the previous moments that I'll get to spend with my team and the locals. I can't wait to share all about with you when I get back! But, I hope you all know o wouldn't leave without giving you some insight will on this trip. My cousin, Taylor, writes a daily blog while in Belize and she does an incredible job. If any if you are interested in following us along on this journey, the link to the blog is down below! Thank you all so much for your continuous love and support! Get ready to be spammed with tons of pictures when I get back. God bless, Sydney |
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