Yesterday, the members of the Karns church of Christ completed an exhausting day in which about 130 volunteers spent six hours ministering to approximately 50 people who have special needs. We named this ministry, “Forever His,” and have been doing it since 2015.
Not everyone understands why we would embrace such a ministry, so here’s a brief answer.
Understanding.
As tired as we are after spending just six hours of one day with our guests, we gain insight into the lives of other people. Imagine how much a six-hour respite must mean to parents who make this sacrifice of love every hour of every day. In providing this ministry, we are allowing some parents the only “day off” during the year.
Faithfulness to God.
It was Jesus who said… “inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:40). We serve Jesus when we meet the needs of others. The compassion and understanding we show to our guests are acts of compassion and service we offer to the Lord, himself.
Inward Change.
Some may ask, “How many people have been saved due to this ministry? Well, the majority of our guests don’t need to be saved, for they are “Forever His.” But quite frankly, the people who are being saved due to this ministry might just be us! I’m not nearly as concerned about the change this ministry makes in others, as much as I am about the change this ministry makes in us. We are creating an environment of acceptance, compassion, understanding, and love.
Through this ministry, we attempt to bless others through the love of Jesus, but what we find is that at the end of the day, we are the ones who have been blessed. I hope you will make an effort to reach out to the marginalized, the weak, and the sick. In fact, doesn’t it almost sound like something Jesus would do?