LiveDifferent Challenge (3): Isaiah 58 Fast

Last week as part of our LiveDifferent challenge we gave away “Beans ‘n Jeans” to help feed and clothe people in need. I’m a few weeks into my clothing fast and that’s good and well. Some of you may have read my recent post on Prayer in Action which focused on Prayer as Justice & Compassion. Basically, if our spiritual life isn’t one that’s actively moving as the hands and feet of Christ, it is no spiritual life at all.

Last night, I had a big change in my heart. I decided I no longer want the house. Any of you who know me at all know that for the last 10 months I’ve had my eye on the house. The same house. I’ve known, at least I felt like I knew that God wanted us to have this house. It was perfect. Everything I’d ever dreamed of, and with plenty of room to grow and open up our doors to others for ministry. And, provided that we could sell our McMinnville home, it was also in our price range — the upper end of our price range mind you, but our price range nonetheless. But a few doubts have been slowly creeping into my mind. First, I was jostled a little by something my pastor said a few weeks ago in church while discussing finances. He said a pretty simple statement, “Just because you can afford it, doesn’t mean you should buy it!” He was basically explaining how we automatically look to see “what we can afford” and then get the very most we can. That’s human nature. So I contemplated this, and while I did, I went to visit my brother and sister-in-law, as you know, in Salt Lake City. Now I don’t want to trespass their privacy but let’s just be frank about the fact that my brother makes a a lot of money. But here’s the thing–they give it away. You would never guess by visiting them. They have a beautiful but humble house that’s suited perfectly for ministry. They have only one car. They don’t have new furniture, they don’t have new clothes, they don’t have the latest this or the latest that. They live soooooooo below their means, so that they can give what they have for the Kingdom of God. Now I just had to shake my head at that, because I know if I were his wife, I’d be like, “Give me some of that money so I can have some new stuff!” But she’s not like that. She has the same vision, the same perspective on life.

So coming home I considered this. I thought, it’s no wonder God hasn’t entrusted me with a lot of money–He knows how poorly I’d use it! So as I thought about this and about the LiveDifferent challenge, I thought about this house that I’ve dreamed of for 10 months. And strangely enough, it was like slowly opening my little hand and letting my precious little thing slide away. And, strangely enough, I don’t miss it.

So while contemplating this I read a chapter in a prayer book and came across this translation of Isaiah 58:6-11:

“Is not this what I require of you as a fast: to loose the fetters of injustice, to untie the knots of the yoke, to stop every yoke and set free those who have been crushed? Is it not sharing your food with the hungry, taking the homeless poor into your house, clothing the naked when you meet them and never evading a duty to your kinsfolk? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn and soon you will grow healthy like a wound newly healed; your own righteousness shall be your vanguard and the glory of the Lord your rearguard. Then, if you call, the Lord will answer; if you cry to him, the answer will be: “Here I am.” If you cease to pervert justice, to point the accusing finger and lay false charges, if you feed the hungry from your own plenty and satisfy the needs of the wretched, then your light will rise like dawn out of darkness and your dusk be like noonday; the Lord will be your guide continually and will satisfy your needs in the shimmering heat; he will give you strength of limb; you will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”

Something in my heart leaps when I read this! Yes! That’s it! That’s what I want! That’s what we’re supposed to do! We choose to go without so that others may have. We “fast” to untie the knots of the yoke, to set free those who have been crushed. How can we offer to God a sanctified life if that life doesn’t take up the cause of those around us?

So on Wednesday (this was the depressing day of which I wrote about earlier this week), I was driving to school and consumed with myself, and as I pulled onto the I-205 off ramp there had been an accident so traffic was backed up, and I knew then I’d be late. And as I sat in traffic I realized that Jesse was there. Jesse is the homeless man who is at the Glisan off-ramp of I-205. My wonderful husband, who always disciples me by his actions, has befriended Jesse. We would always give him part of our lunches, and Jeff would always try to pull up next to him to talk, or get out and put his arm around him and talk to him about Jesus. Jesse always recognizes us when we come and smiles at us. Well this Wednesday I was already late, waiting for the accident, and I saw Jesse and realized the only food I had with me was my yogurt, which was the thing I had hurriedly grabbed in my frantic attempt to get out of the house. Oh Lord, do I have to give him my yogurt? Can you believe how selfish I am? That’s what was going through my mind. I knew I wouldn’t have time to get anything else and I wouldn’t be home until 3:30 and by then I’d have a raging headache because I cannot stand being hungry. And Isaiah 58 went through my mind. Ok, God, my yogurt. But I was stopped four cars away, and couldn’t pull up near him, so I through it into park, grabbed my yogurt and ran up the off-ramp calling him by name and gave him the silly yogurt, then the light turned green and I raced back to my car before people started honking and giving me the universal “I love you” finger sign. But as I went up I saw him absolutely light up and smile at me, a real smile–looking me right in the eyes. “Thank you!” He shouted as I waved.

You know what? I didn’t get a raging headache because I was hungry. In fact, I felt better because it took my focus off my silly little self. And you know what–just to be real honest here, I think maybe Jesse was kind of tickled to have a cute little blond girl run up to him and smile and call him by name(ok maybe he didn’t think I was cute but my husband does). I think maybe that mattered to him. I know it mattered to me.

So, Jeff and I have started making it a habit that Sunday night I pack our lunches and our dinners, just like normal, for our 10-hour day of class on Mondays. But Monday morning we give our lunches to Jesse, we tell him that God loves him, and we call him by name and look him in the eye and tell him he’s valuable. And one cool thing is that our friend Lyndi usually brings leftover sandwiches and coffee cake from Starbucks so a lot of days we end up with more food than we brought anyway, like loaves and fish!

So the LiveDifferent challenge is this: One day this week (or every week!), fast one meal (if you’re like me and you can’t not eat, just eat something simple for that meal, the point isn’t to not eat, the point is to give to others and offer ourselves to God), and give that “meal” to the homeless or the poor. That will look different to different people. If you live where you have access to homeless people, take your lunch to them personally. If you don’t have that kind of access, donate $2.16 to the Portland Rescue Mission–that’s enough to provide one meal and you can give online with your credit card (click here!) Wherever you are, there are always people in need and it is so easy to give to them if we just take the time.

I’ll leave you with this: The ultimate way to LiveDifferent is to see and savor our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the One who inspires and empowers us to LiveDifferent, and He is the reason we do. I listened to a profound message this morning by John Piper. (Click here to listen) It was delivered to a group of pastors, but it’s applicable to us all. Set aside time and persevere through it–67 minutes long–or break it up into chunks and listen as you are able. If that doesn’t motivate you to LiveDifferent, I don’t know what will! Thanks for reading. Let’s LiveDifferent this week!