Shan talks in her post about labels we apply to people, suggesting that if we see individuals in a new light then we will see new ministry opportunities God puts before us. That caused me to consider how we view people in preconceived ways. Sometimes I think we imagine who we want to help, and we form a mental image of what they will look like. Mention a ministry designed to help the homeless or the poor, and instantly I see someone dressed in ragged clothes, unkempt in appearance, and not able to have the basics of food and shelter.
I wonder if there are other types of poverty that are harder to recognize.
The Bible talks about those who are “poor in spirit” and those who hunger and thirst for God. There are people who are rich on the outside with things of this world but who are poor in relationships and who thirst for Christian friendships. These people can be found down the hall in our dorms, sitting next to us in the pew at church, and maybe even in our own mirror. As several churches have observed, loneliness is on the rise. Even within the body of Christ, we can have difficulty finding deep, lasting connections.
I wonder if my stereotype of what poverty looks like causes me to overlook these harder-to-see folks and to ignore the opportunity to reach out. A smile, an invitation to sit together, a remembered name, and some extended conversation beyond the usual small talk can go a long way to being that cool cup of water that Jesus says is with the power of each of us to give.
Maybe ministry doesn’t doesn’t always mean service projects and formal ministries and organized groups to people in other parts of town. Maybe a ministry opportunity is sitting right next door.
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