Christmas Devotion - Day 11

Today's devotional is written by Briana Echols, co-founder of The Field's Edge.

Day 11 by Briana Echols

And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums.  And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.  And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.  For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” - Mark 12:41-44
 
My mother has been single most of my life.  She had no college degree and had to work very hard to support our family.  She never had much, but a short period of time living in park storm shelters taught her to always be grateful for what she did have.  She would say, “but by the grace of God, that could be us.”  She saw past the exterior of a person, and she always gave out of her poverty. 
 
Sometimes my mother’s giving looked like secretly putting cash in the purse of a coworker that couldn’t pay her bills that month.  Sometimes her giving looked like spending an extra hour in the grocery store listening to a woman who was being abused by her partner.  No matter what my mother experienced or struggled with, she always gave to those in need.  She was thankful for what little we had and she poured into the lives of all those around her.  She is the first person that taught me to stop and listen to people.  To make eye contact and to learn what their true needs are. 
 
One of the first things that blew me away about working with the impoverished members of our community, was the willingness and desire to serve others.  We used to go to a local street church designed to provide spiritual and physical nourishment to the homeless.  Many volunteers would show up in order to serve our homeless neighbors.  When you looked, though, you would see those homeless neighbors serving each other and those that came to serve them. 
 
My family has been involved in homeless ministry for about 7 years now and we have all been served and loved by those that society ignores.  They have loved and cared for our children, playing with them and reading them books, helping to pick them up when they get hurt.  They have brought me chairs to sit on when I’m big and pregnant.  They have served me food and drink during meals so I can sit and care for my children.  When a man got violent toward John-Mark, 2 other men immediately jumped to stand with (ok, a little behind... ha!) my husband in case he needed help.  Our dog has been given bacon and cheeseburgers off their plates.  We have been prayed for, hugged, supported and loved. 
 
My prayer for Midland as a community is that our citizens will begin to see our homeless neighbors as image-bearers of a holy God, people in need of community and family.  Alan Graham, founder of Community First! Village in Austin often says “we believe that the single greatest cause of homelessness is a profound catastrophic loss of family.”  Our goal as a family and as an organization is to be the family for those that have none.
 
This Christmas my mother hosted dinner in her home.  We gathered around the table with family and friends, including 3 women that we have had the pleasure of helping out of homelessness.  As we went around the table saying what we were most thankful for, the common answer was the community we shared together.  Through tears we all bonded over the blessing of having each other. Our homeless brothers and sisters have reminded me of what my mother showed me when I was young, that there is no greater wealth than belonging and being loved. They’ve given us all they have and that feels like home to me.