Cold Weather and the Goodness of God
No matter how long I live in Midland the weather always seems to surprise me. The heat just drags on so long into the fall and I think that the cool weather will never come. Most years we get faked out by a “false Fall” and this year was no different. I think we actually had two of them. I wore shorts to church on Sunday and at the moment I’m cozied up in my recliner under a llama fiber blanket drinking coffee, swatting the flies that sought refuge the warm house, and nursing a sinus infection probably brought on by blowing dirt. Gotta love West Texas!
I really had no intention of writing today. I planned to read, try to get some sleep, and repeatedly dress and undress my kids in their warm clothes as they go outside and run back in after 5 minutes, promising me that they’re finished for the day only to immediately demand that I help them with their hats and mittens again. They have a snow day from school but on the farm it’s really a “mud day” and our carpet shows it. They sure are cute though. But, as I was reading Luke 12 in the few quiet moments I had, something struck me. Yes, I felt the warning of verse 1 to beware of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, and the simultaneous fear and comfort that all things that are done in the dark will be brought to the light. I was emboldened by the charge in verse 4 not to fear what can happen to my mortal life because God deeply cares for me and promises to keep me. I was comforted by the fact in verse 12 that the Holy Spirit will guide me in what to say and do should I ever face trials or persecution, and I was sobered as I am every single time I read about the parable of the rich fool. Then I got to the part where Jesus tells his disciples not to be anxious starting in verse 22 and really wrestled with it.
“And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you”
At first that was comforting me, and I thought to myself, “Yeah that’s right!” This year for us has been a hard year but God has given us perseverance in hope and richly provided for us in ways that we will never forget. Then my thoughts turned to our homeless friends and I thought, “How could they possibly believe this right now. And if it’s not true for them then why should I think it is true for me?” I sat there in that discomfort for a time and asked for understanding while I thought of all of the passages telling of God’s sovereignty in suffering as well as his unmatched and unchanging goodness through it all.
Then I went through a mental scenario in which I tried to explain God’s provision and faithfulness to someone who was wet and shivering on the side of a gas station and I felt doubt creep in. I wrote in the margin of my Bible “Lord help me trust you in this. You’ve provided so abundantly for me but I’m sitting in my warm recliner reading your word and thinking of my cold homeless friends”.
That certainly stirred me to think of, and pray for all those trying to ride out the cold in places that we wouldn’t even let our animals sleep in. It also caused me to be so thankful for all of the people and organizations that have been laboring selflessly to ensure that our homeless neighbors are safe and warm. This is the first year in nearly a decade that I haven’t been directly involved in the front-line relief work during the winter, but our primary calling and responsibility at TFE is downstream and focused on the recovery and development phases of the folks on our Glean Up Crew and our neighbors in the RV program. It’s hard not to want to do it all, but the reality is, we are finite and we just can’t.
Aside from that, the folks who are on the front lines these days are doing a fine job without me. They are displaying a living faith for us all like James 2 says, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” James doesn’t mean to say that our works contribute to our salvation. We are saved by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. The kicker is that a true faith is never alone; it is demonstrated by virtuous works of selflessness and service. I have to admit that part of me wants to strap on my winter gear, mostly because I love jackets, I have FOMO, and deeper down a sinful pride that nobody could do it as good as me and I want to be a hero. As I repent of that pride, I find confidence in God’s provision of the care and commitment of my friends on the front line, and I rest easy in my warm blanket and in the sovereignty and goodness of God.
And yet I sit here wrestling with the thought of my homeless friends sitting out in the cold hearing about how they shouldn’t be anxious and should trust God even though they’re freezing. Would I be able to do that? Certainly not by my own power. But as I read on into verse 32 of Luke 12 I’m reminded that the point of this passage gets to the heart of what we know to be true of homelessness and really all of us. While there are real and immediate material needs that we as believers are called to meet, the deepest needs are spiritual and relational. I truly do not know how folks can spend year after year out in the weather experiencing despondency without a hope in a perfect eternity with Christ. I don’t see how even the most positive attitudes or the most powerful substances can overcome that despair. But what I think I am taking away from processing this passage is that we who trust Jesus are bountifully equipped to serve regardless of our material wealth. We are called to a life of self-denial and sacrifice for all of our neighbors not just so that they are comfortable here on earth, but that their souls find comfort in Christ forever.
So yes, this does have something to say to my homeless friends. It’s the same thing it says to me, that God will provide what I need to fulfill my purpose and allow me to serve others in this life and that he has paid it the price to keep my soul for eternity. I do believe that God provides for his children who trust in Him, even for the homeless. It just doesn’t always look like what we want it to look . They don’t always get off the street, in fact statistically, it is likely that they won’t (until we get the village built at least). But as I sit here today, I’m reminded that it is entirely possible for us to be homeless even when we have a house and everything else we could ever need or want. In fact I would go so far as to say that is a far greater problem that affects many more people than living on the streets. Home is in belonging. Home is in relationship. Home is in loving and being loved. Home is being forgiven. Do you have a home?
Yes, we are charged to do everything we can to end the suffering of our fellow man, but it’s a battle beyond our strength. With sin in the world there will always be homeless people. There will always be pain and sorrow, but we should go and be bearers of burritos, hand warmers, hugs and hope. It is hard to get our minds around suffering on this earth. It happens to us all in different ways, different, times, and different measures. Calvin calls it “the medicine of the Cross” administered to us by our loving Heavenly Physician to cure us of the sickness in our souls. So what does God’s provision for the needs of his children mean to our friends shivering outside? Ultimately the answer is the same for us and we can take refuge in it.
“Fear not little flock it is your father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” Luke 12:32
If you’d like to help, below is a list of agencies who are on the front lines. They would certainly benefit from your time, talent, and treasure.
--Salvation Army and Breaking Bread
Contact: Robert.Coriston@uss.salvationarmy.org
Contact: mari@breakingbreadkitchen.org
Information: The Salvation Army shelter is open for overnight guests as usual. They are working to be staffed to remain open during the day.
Breaking Bread will continue to provide breakfasts and warm gear through their mobile truck and dinners at the kitchen. They will also be open for people to hang out during the day. The are also raising money to purchase sleeping bags and winter gear to distribute to those on the street.
--Backyard Midland
Contact: 432-349-0981
Information: Backyard Midland is also taking warm clothing and sleeping bag donations.
Note: To avoid duplication of services, The Field's Edge is not taking donations of clothing or gear and instead referring those in need to these three agencies.