Dear friends,
As I am preparing for a Hope Chest e-magazine on the theme of Food & Compassion, I knew I had to include a little eternal encouragement on the subject. This is just a very small sampling, enough to "wet your appetite."
Scriptures on Food and Compassion
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 foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:34-40
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he
has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or
sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to
them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things
needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not
have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.”
Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
James 2:14-18
And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is
to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”
Luke 3:11
“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of
wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go
free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share
your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when
you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then
shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up
speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then
you shall call, and the Lord will
answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ Isaiah 58:6-9
(All verses are in the English Standard Version.)
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How can you get involved? Globally and locally!
- Global Hunger Relief -- ways you can help!
- Food, Health, Jobs, and Family Crisis Assistance Resources in Central Florida
Most of you don't live in Central Florida, so this last blog link might not seem relevant to you. However, I would like to challenge you to research community assistance resources in your area, compile a reliable list, and spread it around to your friends via e-mail, Facebook, blogs, etc. These are "hurting times" for many, and you just don't know which lives you will touch with compassion. Do it now! :-) And then, make it even more personal by thinking of how you can help the hungry and homeless in your community. Can you volunteer at a shelter or soup kitchen? Or can you assemble some Food & Compassion bags to keep in your car for when you see someone in need on the street? What would you put in one? Granola bars, small boxes of canned chicken salad with crackers, juice packs, a pack of tissues, some bandaids, a Gospel of John, your list of community assistance resources... What else would you put in your bag? Let me know!
Virginia Knowles
I really like the idea of keeping food and compassion bags in the car. I don't travel in town too much, but many of my friends do and could hand them out. Great idea.
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