Closure

I packed some caregiver kits this morning. You know, the soap I mentioned as I started this blog? World Vision, as it turns out, has partnered with Lister and her group to provide the tangibles they need. It didn’t happen this weekend, but has been in motion for a little while, I discovered. As an act of solidarity, I worked my tail off packing those boxes. I was almost maniacal. Box after box, stuffing: I notepad, 9 bars of soap, 1 jar of Vaseline, 4 washcloths, 1 bottle of anti-diarrhea medicine, 1 of aspirin, 1 of anti-biotic ointment, 4 pens, and a handwritten note of encouragement.

The box-packers wrote the notes, and I was getting antsy while people were writing five, six sentences. Keep it simple! I thought Let’s keep the line moving! My note said, “May God bless your kingdom work. Your brother, Bryan.”

In all I packed about thirty boxes. (I hope there not in contiguous villages and can’t compare their notes since they're all the same.) I perspired a little bit. I thought about the human act of caregiving. But here’s what I can’t do: Allow any energy I gave to abate a guilty conscious. Or even allow guilt to enter the picture.

To answer my own question from the beginning, I value hand soap very little. But I cherish the comfortable opportunities to serve—at a distance—those in need. Q showed me there are unique and God-tailored ways to enter the service of humankind for His name’s sake. I doubt I’ll be a Chris, a Lister. But I am a Jesus. Or, at least, that’s how God sees me. My response for His unmerited grace should be obedience, in whatever manifestation he deems. I’m excited to calibrate my radar a bit to discern what those acts of obedience might be. I’m also excited to have met so many whose radar bleeps of Christian service, people with whom Thomas Nelson might have the opportunity to empower to share their message more broadly.