A Chosen Remnant

We carry Hope. Or do we ?

It's so easy to get caught up in the moment and think of yourself. You know : when you get into that mode where you think your problems are the biggest in the world and no-one can possibly understand your pain (blah blah !). I have long since learned not to allow myself to wallow in self-pity but there are those days where everything seems to get heavy...that is until, you get a wake-up call that let's you know how IT IS NOT ABOUT YOU !

I had one of those moments yesterday on my way home. For some reason, God allows me to learn so many lessons on my daily 35-minute commute to my job ! Go figure. So anyway, the bus was crowded yesterday. People were standing up all crammed against each other. The bus was filled with interesting scents. It was hot and I was beginning to complain in my head. I was wishing I could drive our 1995 Honda to work everyday if it was not so cost-ineffecient compounded by the fact that parking is a major hassle around the campus where I work. So here I was ; complaining about insignificant problems ! 

Well, there was a woman probably in her early to mid-thirties sitting in front of me. She was pregnant , looked a little disheveled and it seemed life has not been too easy with her (I will call her Candy). As we neared the end-point of the bus, more and more people were getting off. Enough people had gotten off that the people who were originally standing up in the crammed up bus were beginning to find seats to sit down. So, this other lady (I will call her Emily) comes to take the seat next to the pregnant lady. As soon as Emily sat next to Candy, Candy asked her if she had just overheard her saying she needed a place to stay. Emily answered in the affirmative and right there on the spot Candy offered a place for her to stay. Emily brightened up and began to thank her profusely. The two women then began to have a conversation. Emily related how things were tough for her and that she had been recently locked up in jail (so you guys do realize I was eavesdropping, right ? Yeah, I usually do not but I think God wanted to show me something).  Candy was a mother of four or five (cannot remember correctly) and was expecting another and was on foodstamps (government-assisted food program which meant she earned less than the average family ; for my friends not familiar with the US-system).

Here I was pitying myself and I was sitting behind two women who were both going through a rough time. One had many mouths to feed and the other did not have a place to stay and on top of that, the former was helping the latter with a place to sleep until something else came along. In that moment, I believe the Holy Spirit reminded me that my existence on this earth is NOT ABOUT ME ! No !! I have been put here on this earth to pour my life into the lives of others who have not had the privileges I have been exposed to. I am here to let these ones know that Jesus loves them, He died for them and does not condemn them if only they will accept His gift of salvation. I am here to serve His purpose and this purpose can be blinded when I get absorbed in myself and my "apparent problems."

I was humbled and I was ashamed of myself. I prayed and asked God to help me. Beloved, this life is not about us. When Jesus came to earth, He declared His purpose . Here is how it is rendered in the Message Bible :

God's Spirit is on me;
      he's chosen me to preach the Message of good news to
       the poor,
   Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and
      recovery of sight to the blind,
   To set the burdened and battered free, 
      to announce, "This is God's year to act!"
You and I are called to the poor, the prisoners, the blind, the burdened, the battered, the forgotten and the hopeless. Why ? Because we are supposed to be the carriers of the only Hope this planet has. Or do we ? 

SHALOM