Hope through suffering - Share with Just one more

Romans 5:3-5 ESV - “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

This passage reigns true in Haiti, now more than ever. The people had a hard life before the earthquake but they managed. Now their suffering is very much being tested. Many, many Haitians are displaced throughout the county side, with no homes or jobs – they are living with family or lucky to have a tent on the side of the mountain top. But still they love life. They praise God for what they have. They enjoy visits from family and friends and strangers and welcome them.

I was joking with a friend about how many people can ride a tap-tap; the answer – 1 more.
How many people will we visit on the country side on our walk to the lake; the answer – just 1 more.
And how many people do Haitians feed when they have food; - just 1 more.

 

Isn’t this the way Jesus fed the thousands with so very little food. He just kept sharing and said one more. All those who are weary come to me and I will give you shelter – HOPE – Truly Isaiah’s words in 40:31 are never more true than in Haiti. God bring them refuge – let them soar on eagles wings so finally, finally they may live in a world where they are not weary, they will not be faint and they will have peace. This is the true peace and meaning of Shalom. Peace in and through you our eternal Savior. And when, everyone feels the true peace of your Shalom, we will all know love and we will share it with just one more, maybe one more American, one more Si Lankan, and one more Korean. And that suffering of the Haitians will lead to hospitality to the world, sharing with just 1 more.

Jesus said that the poor will always be with us. And many people have struggled with this statement. Why? Why do people have to suffer? Why will there always be poor? But I think until everyone gets it, until everyone understands we have to take care of each other - it will be true. This is why we are supposed to truly love and share with our neighbor. We will always have the poor with us until we get it. Get the real message of Jesus’ love for us and for all people and our responsibilities for living a life of love and justice for all people in the world. Share with just one more.