EEC Blog

I feel like I’ve been on a journey these past five years.  Not a physical journey (although I’ve had plenty of those!) but one of growing to understand Jesus’ ways of interacting and caring for people.

I did a Bible study called ‘The Person of Jesus, A Study of Love’  along with its companion book, ‘Love Walked Among Us’, and I was challenged to see what was meant when Scripture tells us Jesus “looked” at people.”

For example, when He “looked” at the widow of Nain what did He see?  He saw a widow in the funeral procession, following the body of her son.  He saw a woman with no husband OR son; she had no one to provide for her.  Along with the loss of her son, she also lost her pension, her status in life (wife and mother), her security and probably any sense of purpose.  He saw a woman who was hurting.

He brought her son to life and gave him back to her - the climax of an interaction that began and ended with Jesus’ care for this woman.  

I began asking, “Who do I pass by, not really ‘looking’ at their deeper need?  A homeless person - because I don’t have resources to give or dare to invite them to my home? Do I avoid even meeting their eyes, giving them the dignity of recognition and acknowledging her presence?  How would Jesus relate to that person?”

At times, perhaps I avoid getting involved with asylum seekers because I don’t have a solution for their long wait, the uncertainty, the difficult position of not being able to work and having to live in a hostel.  It’s easier not to have to think about their needs.  So I DON”T look at their loss of culture, status (in their profession and training in their home country), family members, language.  Do I stay away because I don’t know how, or am too busy, to help?  Again, how would Jesus love that person?  

As I began to pray that Jesus would transform my life and make me aware of how He loves and has given Himself for me, He’s slowly enabled me to take little steps at “looking” at others’ needs.  It began with homeless alcoholics in Bray, when Joe extended a beer covered hand to me and I KNEW Jesus would reach out and take his hand.  Then, I consciously began to meet the eyes of people begging in Dublin, and smiled at them, even when I couldn’t give.  Later, as I prayer-walked, God gave me the courage to offer to buy a homeless man a sandwich.  I asked him what kind he’d like and he let me know “If you’re getting tea, I take 3 sugars.”  I wondered if he was taking advantage of me, but the Spirit led me to get him the tea and sandwich and sit down with him for a chat.  (A friend was with me.)  He’s led me to offer lifts to people without cars, to invite someone from W. Clare to stay in my home when her son admitted to hospital in an emergency, and to think what she needed since she did not come prepared. (Food, clothes, toothbrush…)

I have a long way to go and there are many whose needs I still overlook - but Jesus is working in me!

These are some personal applications, but since I arrived in the USA, God is challenging me in new ways.  My church, Virginia Beach Community Chapel (Eric and Mira’s church) has become involved in a movement called “Serve the City” where people work together to bless their community by serving.  A few weeks ago our church formed teams for a Saturday.  Some were going to renovate two houses for homeless families.  They painted, built, did yard work, etc. to make those homes inviting.

I needed something less physically-demanding so our team went to a Laundromat and offered to pay for people’s laundry (with money from the church budget).  Before we left, we discussed how to introduce ourselves: “My name is Kathy Locke and I’m from Virginia Beach Community Chapel.  We want to demonstrate the love of Christ in a practical way by paying for your laundry today, if you‘ll let us.”

The first young woman I asked smiled, looked uncertain but nodded.  As I put coins in, we talked, she showed me photos of her children and we found a friend we had in common. Her husband came in (he spoke English more fluently) so one of the men on the team joined me and asked if they had any religious affiliation.  Midiam had visited churches and wanted to know where ours was.  It wasn’t long before I had an opportunity to go through a gospel tract with both Midiam and her husband.  Because of language, I’m not certain just where they were at but I did find out she reads her Spanish Bible.

The following week there was to be an ice-cream social in their trailer park, so we invited them and their children will be invited to the Bible club at our church in August.  They were so friendly and willing to talk, while waiting for their laundry.

Later, one of the team brought pizzas and drinks for us to offer to everyone in the Laundromat.  The manager had already been directing people to us (two of our team spent quite a while talking with her and paying for her own laundry).  She was all smiles and said she’d love us to come every Saturday!  She thanked us for being there as she enjoyed her pizza.

After Midiam and her husband left, I had an opportunity to invite several to have pizza.  Since many were Mexican, we couldn’t talk much with them but they joined in for lunch.  Later, I had an opportunity to talk with Frederick, who came in to wash the clothes he was wearing.  He had been taught about God by his grandmother but wasn’t sure he believed there IS an eternal God. We were able to discuss a couple of verses and, since our team needed to leave, I left him some things to read that related to his questions and would point him to Jesus.  He was very open spiritually.

As we drove away and I reflected on what God had done through our team in just a few hours - the whole atmosphere in that Laundromat had changed - people were smiling, friendly, blessed - the love of Jesus had touched them.

Some were able to hear about Him very clearly, as several listened to the gospel and I know at least one young man committed his life to Christ.  It showed me the power of believers working together in a serving, loving way to bless their community.

Last month I was accepted to be part of Greater Europe Mission and through the orientation I was taught about “The Tangible Kingdom.”  I’ve heard it described as “making God’s invisible kingdom visible.”  A church planter told us how he changed his entire approach to church planting by building relationships with co-workers, neighbors and shopkeepers to listen, care for and serve them and to invite them to join him in checking out Jesus through Scripture. He’s seen amazing growth in his community of people following Jesus.

I’m wrestling with some of what he shared, but I realize this WAS and IS a powerful means of connecting people to Jesus.  Too often I’ve settled for words alone when people need to see us be Jesus’ hands and feet.  The more I look at Jesus in the gospels, I see Him loving, caring, initiating - being the Suffering Servant in His life as well as His death (Mark 10, John 13 and throughout the Gospels.)  He taught His disciples to serve (even having them handing out baskets of food!)

This past Sunday two missionaries to Muslims shared at my church.  One in the sermon, the other at a luncheon; neither knew what the other would say.  Both emphasized the example of Jesus in serving first, then listening with insight, then sharing truth with respect.  

My big question now: “How can communities of believers be Jesus’ hands and feet, together?” I‘ll be involved in helping other churches with this through my work with Evangelical Alliance Ireland.  To do that, I’m asking Jesus to let us see people as He sees them so that we can respond to them as He does.  I’m eager to get back to see what the Spirit will do - please pray I can return quickly (finances from the USA are still needed.)

Kathy