Just Do It!

As I was driving to work this AM, the station that I was listening to features a town of the week that the two DJ's go to and record their adventures.  Today's town was Eastgate.  The main focus was the Yellow Ribbon Support Center, which was started five years ago when Army Staff Sgt. Matt Maupin went missing.  Did you know that in that time they have sent 15,000 boxes to soldiers?  I found that to be amazing.  They even interviewed Matt Maupin's dad, who was working there packing boxes.    You can find more about the center at www.yellowribbonsupportcenter.com.

Lending a helping hand to those in need is an important part of Christianity.  I try to teach my kids to do some community service projects. I try a do a few things myself.  But it is always to find time for that.  You have to plan, just like with anything else.  I have a schedule that I keep to make sure I know what I am doing when.  I put everything from choir practice, band rehearsal's, football games, appointments, etc. in my smartphone and it keeps me straight.  If it every dies, I may be in trouble!

As busy as my life gets, this time of day when I am writing this devotion for me and you gives me time to think about things other than what the world is doing.  I try and focus on what God wants me to do.  Helping the needy and less fortunate is important to God, but I do not let it make me feel important.  It should be something that you want to do because a) God wants you to do it and b) you want to obey God.  It doesn't have to be some elaborate thing like packing boxes, it could be just giving away clothes, giving money or canned goods to a free store.  Just do something for your community.

Matthew 25:35 - 46
'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 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, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?
'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'
"The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'    "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;
for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink;   I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.'   
"Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?'   "Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'   "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."