The Lord Is The Maker Of Us All
By Janice Fry --
The Bible has a lot to say about the poor from Exodus through Revelation. Here are two verses that I think sum up most of what is said,
Proverbs 22:2 New International Version (NIV)
Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all.
Luke 11:40-41 New International Version (NIV)
You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.
Do you ask the questions that I ask myself? I ask, do I truly have an understanding that Jesus made us all and that one person is not better than another? What is within me? Is the Holy Spirit controlling me or am I in control? Sometimes it hurts to answer these questions honestly. I also have a perfectionist tendency which I have to set aside and accept that I cannot live a perfect life, but each day I can reset my mind on Jesus. Romans 12:1-2 are my life verses, Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
The Bible makes it clear that we are to be kind and generous to the poor, but poverty is not a simple issue. There are some who choose the homeless lifestyle, some have mental illnesses, some are abused by their families, some are on fixed incomes or the working poor, and some are like my grandparents who lost everything they owned twice in their lives.
Bill and Freda Elliott wanted and expected to be farmers in Oklahoma all of their lives, but the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl changed their lives. In 1932, after losing the farm, they homesteaded property in New Mexico for three years. My aunt told me that while living in New Mexico, sometimes they only had oatmeal to eat. Then in 1942, while living in Ashland, Oregon, their house caught on fire and burned to the ground.
All of these different kinds of people are shopping at the pantry. I have lost count of how many shoppers we have at the pantry that tell me that they appreciate our Pantry. Many of the shoppers on Saturdays are the working poor or are on fixed incomes. They are fine month to month until something unexpected happens to them, then they need our pantry.
We are doing a good job of meeting the physical needs of the shoppers, but the Pantry is in need of those who have the gift of evangelism or hospitality. We are in need of those who are willing to help with the spiritual needs of the shoppers that come on Saturday. This team needs four to eight people who are able to work once a month to develop relationships with the shoppers, to pray with them for their needs, to answer questions they may have, and to lead them to Christ.
We are also in need of a Trader Joe's driver on the fourth Friday of the month and a Winco/Fred Meyer driver once a month on Friday (contact Judy Pinkerton for which Friday works best for you). Our Saturday teams can always use one or two more workers. If you are wanting or willing to work in the Pantry please contact Janice Fry , for evangelism, hospitality or Saturday worker, Mary Ellen Adler, for Trader Joe's driver, and Judy Pinkerton, for Winco/Fred Meyer.