Unpacking Adventure

Notation: I definitely started a long time ago on this entry, but I haven't always had my own laptop, journals, files, or Bible with me to work on it. Needless to say, it’s been a long time coming for those of y’all who have known about it. It’s here though. I hope you’re challenged… I've had some great conversations the past couple of weeks. They've ranged from beyond really frustrating to completely encouraging. I saw my friend Dan in the coffeehouse when I was in a position where I could sit with him and chat for awhile. I'm so glad I did. I love it when I run into him. He was asking me what all is going on with my life and for some reason I started to talk to him about YoCo elections at A&MUMC. There was a big focus during the elections on doing mission work in our own community. Missions is Dan's thing. He loves with a love that has encouraged me to love deeper throughout this last year up until this day. He presented a mission opportunity to me, which I later took to Clay, the youth minister that I work with. The mission is making breakfast tacos, getting some OJ and coffee and going out to the street corners where both illegal and legal immigrants wait for work. He just hangs out with them, gets to know their stories and genuinely loves on them. How awesome is that? I later told a Christian friend of mine about this opportunity. She was completely opposed to it. The church is getting into a very political field, taking sides on the immigrant issue and making the church look horrible as it does so was what she said to me. Wow. I didn't expect that. It was such a slap in the face that I was shocked about it even hours later; days later I was still thinking about it. I thought Jesus called us to love everyone. I must have missed something... but I know in my heart that I didn't miss anything. It was tough to struggle with it alone, but later in the week I ended up talking to one of my roommates about our conversation. This was such a beautiful time of fellowship where we both dug into the word about missions and other topics close to our hearts. Whether this issue is political or not, I don't really care. This isn't about pro-immigration or anti-immigration. I've argued both sides in an international migration class my freshman year here in Aggieland. This is about turning our backs on a group of people. I really don't think Jesus would roll on past on his bike or in his car, waving at those standing out there on the street corners. The Lord I know would be out there, mingling, loving, embracing and caring about them. There is no doubt about that in my mind. There's a ton of scripture about all of this: hunger, thirst, compassion, loving on those less fortunate. I’m not going to share all of them with you because I may be here for awhile just typing them. I’ll just let you get a little bit of what the book of James says about it. My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? - James 2:1-4Cause my Jesus bled and diedHe spent His time with thieves and the least of theseHe loved the poor and accosted the comfortableSo which one do you want to be?Cause my Jesus would never be accepted in my churchThe blood and dirt on His feet might stain the carpetBut He reaches for the hurting and despises the proudI think He'd prefer Beale St. to the stained glass crowdAnd I know that He can hear me if I cry out loud- My Jesus by Todd AgnewIsaiah 61:1-3The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion - to give them a beautiful headdress of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.


“My biggest fear is when I go before the judgment seat of Christ to have been found lacking - that I didn’t go to the least and the last, that I ignored people outside my own door that need Jesus, like illegal immigrants. We’re supposed to love the criminal. Yeah, they’re illegal immigrants, but Jesus still died for them. His grace is sufficient to cover that. Who are you or I to judge them? By feeding them you’re not offering amnesty, you’re offering love - a love that they might not love, but a love that was freely given to us and a love that we must freely give,” said Michael Ryan.