I heard a friend say these words a while back and they stuck in my mind. I have not been able to shake the stark challenge of them to my heart.
- To love is to alleviate the suffering of others -
If I claim to love another am I willing to take steps to alleviate their suffering?
What a definition of what love means! What a challenge!
Well, here we are. Here I am. Dear friends of mine (who have suffered greatly in life through the loss of their 24-year old daughter some years ago, after a long illness) live in Colorado.
They have just had their home and all their possessions completely destroyed in a wildfire.
They were away doing ministry and only have left what they were carrying with them. This is from the report I received from a friend of theirs who broke the news to me.
"They now own 2 backpacks, 2 suitcases full of clothes, a car and a dog. (And a new grief from loss of things from their daughter Kelsey who passed in 2018 among other irreplaceable personal things and all records.)"
The loss of memorabilia connecting them to their beloved Kelsey is the most hurtful of all. If you can pray in faith call down divine succour and comfort for this. Only God can really deal with hurt like this.
What else can be done to alleviate the suffering of Leonard and Lesley?
Are 'thoughts and prayers' enough?
They are not to be minimised, please think about them and pray.
But...
We are also the answer to the prayers...
If it was my flesh and blood brother and sister, I would not settle for 'thoughts and prayers.'
I have never thought of myself as a particularly loving person. But if my desire to alleviate other's suffering is any evidence of love, then I have more love than I thought I had. It must be the love of God. I am weeping with those who weep.
I am calling for us all to GIVE to alleviate the suffering of Leonard and Lesley Hays.
I am calling for GENEROUS giving, and RADICAL giving.
(Sacrificial giving may be a step too far for many of us - that would involve us relinquishing our own possessions, clearing the bank accounts to help - but, that may be a step too far for the Western Christian of 2022 - that's where we are going, by the way - that's where Love will take us - eventually).
A step back from 'sacrificial giving' is to give generously and radically.
How about us coming up with our own Kingdom Year of Jubilee?
Here's what to do: Over to you of course.
Allow your love and compassion to weep with those who weep - but don't stop there. Let love move and act to alleviate the suffering of Leonard and Lesley Hays.
Let your love bring boldness to you. Let love carry you, lift you on its wave and carry you to identification with their suffering.
IF YOU OWN MORE THAN ONE PROPERTY - WHY NOT SELL ONE AND DONATE THE PROCEEDS TO LEONARD AND LESLEY?
IF YOU OWN LAND, SELL SOME OF IT AND GIVE (NOT LEND) THE PROCEEDS OF THE SALE TO THEM?
I dare you. This is the sort of Kingdom I have signed up for many years ago.
Have you any investment policies you can cash in?
Let us open our hand. Let our possessions and bank accounts be commandeered by LOVE.
Can you donate furniture? Vehicles? Computers?
Big gestures not small things.
Or....here's an idea.
If you have a 7 figure sum in your account, give a tenth of that.
A six figure sum - a tenth of that.
A five figure sum - a tenth
And so on....
There are some people, who could single-handedly give full restitution for what they have lost materially. Or two people, or five or ten.
Too many fundraising efforts (and I am grateful for them) yield tiddly amounts of 50 dollars, maybe a couple of hundred here and there. I would LOVE to see tens or hundreds of thousands being donated.
I would really love to see the 'rich' giving radically in the kingdom of God.
How about we suffer (a little setback as the numbers on our bank statement dramatically reduce, or we surrender the deeds of our second, third even fourth property in our portfolio, or a few acres of land) so that other's suffering will be alleviated?
As Jesus said to the rich young ruler, who asked what he must do to inherit eternal life, 'Sell all that you possess and give to the poor."
Most Christians duck and dive from that statement. How about if it is literally true? That the actual relinquishment of our securities brings us into the lived experience of the life that God lives.
For me, this is not theory. Becky and myself will be giving to alleviate the suffering of Leonard and Lesley. We will be giving radically and generously, out of the little that we have in the natural, because we suffer with those we love and we long to see a smile on their faces. We also hunger to inherit eternal life right now!
Do you want to experience eternal life right now? Sell some (all?) your possessions and give the proceeds to the poor. That not my answer, it's Jesus' answer.
Do you want to experience the supernatural power of God in your life? Surrendering financial security is the gateway into the supernatural life.
Here is a link to donate through:
HELP WITH RADICAL GIVING
If you wish me to help talk and pray you through a more radical gesture of giving (or if you wish to be a secret donor of monies from the sale of a property or land, I am happy to be a spokesperson on your behalf and can be contacted through this website).
Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. - ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 4: 34, 35
If you wish to sell houses, land etc. and need to lay the money at the apostles' feet (Acts??) but you cannot identify any trustworthy apostles please contact me and I will suggest some. I'm not joking.
If you have any comments or questions feel free to make them. I stand by every word I have written.
Blessings and may 2022 bring an abundant harvest of God's favour to us all
Stephen
This was Leonard and Lesley's house
Hi Stephen, Re your post on the nature of Love I absolutely agree with you with one caveat.
There is the issue of our weak humanity. We are unable to walk like Jesus without the empowerment of the Spirit. In the flesh we are unable to love like Jesus, I believe there will come a corresponding outpouring from heaven that will enable this abandonment to manifest in our lives. We once lived through a season lasting several years where we regularly emptied whatever was in our wallet without thought or care. It was motivated from the Spirit and was not a burden at all. May it yet come again, it was glorious and crazy all at once.