Going Out of Business — We’re Calling It Quits!
OK I’ll admit it. I have mixed feelings of morbid excitement when I spot a “going out of business” sale. This combo of words alert bargain hunters like me that deals are to be had. Oh, and I am sorry that you are going out of business — kind of.
But hold on. If I momentarily remove my “bargain hunter’s” hat and replace it with my “fellow human being” hat, perhaps I might feel the pain of a business failure. Or examined more closely, someone probably not only lost their shirt, but their dreams.
Who wants to hang a sign over their life’s dream and current predicament reading — we failed and so we quit. Unless of course — your current predicament is well just that, a predicament.
Think with me. What if the person who is homeless were able to hang a sign over their under bridge tenement that read, “homelessness is going out of business”? What about those who have been human trafficked and rescued to proclaim “going out of business”? What about the orphanages teeming with children needing a forever family — “going out of business”!
There are some “going out of business” signs that we should pray and work for!
Recently I attended a gathering of Kingdom dreamers led by Cindy Crain the President and CEO of Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance, http://www.mdhadallas.org. She is the type leader who unabashedly asks the question of why not? Why not dream and pray and work toward the elimination of the maladies of our society — homelessness, human trafficking, orphans, hunger, illiteracy, violence and hatred?
Can the church make a difference? Can the collective churches in the Dallas metroplex, rich in believers and resources make a difference? Perhaps even bring an end to some of these issues that are close to the heart of God?
I believe the answer is YES!
However — I think it will take churches and Christians calling it quits on small “c” internal church agendas and taking up the banner of the big “K” kingdom agenda of God. I believe by dreaming and praying and working together, we can!
“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,[ you were doing it to me!’
“Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
“Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.” ~ Matthew 25: 31-46
