4 minute read
Please Help The Homeless To Know That I Love Them
from August 2020
Gò0dNews for Everyone
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When my children, Christy and Paul, were 3 and 4 years of age, I taught them the beloved children’s prayer, “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.” To teach them intercessory prayer, I instructed them to add, “…please bless Grandma and Papa…” at the end of the prayer.
One morning, on our way to Sunday School, we noticed a homeless woman asleep in an exterior doorway of the church. It was very cold and windy and the woman was bundled up with a heavy coat and blankets. I always made everything a teachable moment. Like the time Paul asked me, “What’s inside a raindrop?” and we had a conversation about that. I was accustomed to Paul and Christy’s questions and I was sure they would ask about the homeless woman. That night, 3 year-old Christy said her bedtime prayers, “….guide me safely through the night, and wake me with the sunshine bright. Please bless Grandma and Papa and please help the homeless to know that I love them.”
The homeless woman was all alone and it is entirely probable that she felt invisible
and forgotten. At 3 years of age, Christy was applying what she learned about intercessory prayer. Ultimately, it was I who learned how to effectively pray for others. The teacher was my 3 year-old daughter.
About The Author
Pam Walker, a native of Rome, is a paralegal at Vaughn & Clements PC in Calhoun. She is a local columnist for the Rome News-Tribune. Pam and her husband, Stan, are members of Riverside Baptist Church, in Rome where she teaches the Naomi Sunday School class twice a month. Readers may email her at pamterrellwalker@gmail.com.
Gò0dNews forEveryone
You and Me, Not Us and Them
by Jessica Burnham
In today’s world, it seems like we are divided at every stumbles. You’ve probably heard it. A pastor is accused of turn. Race, ethnicity, political affiliation, you name it: it _______, and someone inevitably says, “See, that’s why I feels like we are constantly forced to choose sides, pick a don’t trust Christians or go to church.” Really? You don’t team, and get ready to scrap about it. We’ve stopped looking trust one single Christian based on the actions of a single at each other as individuals and started seeing each other as unrelated person? just a part of the opposition. Substitute any adjective. “Democrats are the problem
The mainstream media is no help on this front. Slanted because of XYZ.” We are asked to condemn negative and inflammatory headlines draw the ire of those on both words or actions of someone because they voted for the without any consideration for the individual: white people, same politician we did. We should absolutely condemn evil, but we as individuals can’t be held personally responsible for the actions of other individuals, especially someone we don’t know or have ever had any contact with. That’s like being made to account for the words of a false prophet or a sketchy televangelist. But there is something we can do. When we hear of someone who is doing wrong, especially someone who claims to have a relationship with our Lord and Savior, we can show them the love of Christ and point to the Scriptures as a dividing line between right and wrong. We have to treat people as individuals in sides of the issue of the day. If we aren’t careful, we find gospel to every creature.” The Scripture makes no reference ourselves engaged in written fisticuffs all because we to political affiliation, skin tone, or nationality. We’re just weren’t wise enough to Just. Keep. Scrolling. The media supposed to share the Gospel with everyone. If we wash wants us duking it out on their social media accounts. More our hands of anyone who may need to hear the Gospel but clicks and more views equate to more advertising dollars. doesn’t agree with our political viewpoint or socioeconomic Just reporting the news got stale at some point, and now status, we are in direct disobedience of the Word of God. we’d rather see “Sensational” as opposed to just truthful. We have to start looking at each other as individuals. That’s because they don’t care about Jessica Burnham, or We’ve got to stop drawing dividing lines and find ways to Sally Jones, or anyone else. They care about exposure and come together. We’ve got to swallow some pride and realize revenue. If we want that to change, we’ve got to change the that it isn’t all about being right, but it is all about loving way we respond to it. your neighbor. It’s not all about Us and Them; it’s all about
Too often, we lump each other together in big groups You and Me. need of a Savior. Mark 16:15 tells us to “preach the Trump supporters, or Liberals. Christians get hung out to dry in the court of public opinion every time a minister About The Author Jessica Burnham and her husband, Danny reside in Rome, Georgia. She is the mother of three children, a full time student, and a licensed practical nurse. 30 // August 2020
