Where The Secret Of All Joy Lies. And How A Twenty-Something Is Changing the World

We sit around the table, early morning devotions.  Each of us share, “Our Story”.  Saints, in matching shirts surround me.  Most of them Chinese.

And as I share, blonde blue eyed one grips me. Not because she looks any different, but because her eyes look hungry for more….

In this stretch out place.  A world away.  Not sure what I am supposed to do.  Until I see little faces.  Pilled in wheelchairs.  Strolled down from the floor above, where they live.

And I am drawn to them, as if they were Jesus himself.

I walk into the room. I will be serving in. Not too sure….about handicapped children.

But, the four who came down, each have my attention.  And I go into teacher mode, wanting to love on and connect with each of them.

One looks as if she is a paraplegic.  Another, body stiff.  They sit at a table, as we feed them.

And then, blue-eyed, twenty something leads them.  They lift a flag at the sight of their name. Tap cymbals for the syllables.  Upon a drum before them.

Smiles.  Crooked.  Drool dripping.  Saying, “Look, I am here.  I am a person.  I am not that different from you.”

Tears stream.  As this young girl who leads them, takes them into a chorus of, “Jesus loves me.”

She is young.  Beautiful.  Could live back in the states, with her degree, her husband, and so much more.  Comfortable on a ranch, or an apartment near a University.  Going on to get her Master’s degree…

But instead, her and her spouse decide to leave everything.  Family and all.  And become missionaries, in China.

And it is not just that she serves.  Not just that she seems to be a Saint, in light of my tainted American-style Christianity.

It’s more than that.

It’s the look in her eyes.  The giggle she gives when her students make progress.  It’s the hugs, and the patience, and the love that says, “These kids aren’t outcasts, they are God’s children.  Worth giving up your life for.”

And I think back to my life as a foster parent.  And how hard it was at times, to see kids.  All kids.  As God sees them.

And in that moment, it was as if the heaven’s parted.  God himself came down to speak to me.

And I got it. I mean, it was then…..I really got it.

God loves.  The broken in a way that we cannot understand.  Until we give up “us” and sacrifice our lives to selfless ministry.

And I repent.  There, in an orphanage, with the handicapped children, in China.

Repent for thinking that I was somehow being a blessing, offering hand-outs, or somehow “sacrificing”.  As I gave my time to broken children.

Repentance turned to thanksgiving.  Thanking Him.  For trusting me.  With His most precious.  Giving me the opportunity, to love on those He defends continually. Here.  And as a foster parent in America.

And before eating.  This girl with God’s heart.  Takes a little one. Whose hands are floundering all around.  She cups her hands around his.

And prays with him.  A prayer of thanks, to the God who brought her here.

The God who chose these children. Bringing them out of their confinement five days of the week.  For her to be able to do therapy with them.

She thanks God for the food that consists of more than thinning rice, that they might otherwise be eating, just a floor away, in the confinement of the government orphanage.

Then, she says, “Amen.”

I look at her in awe. Thinking, did these disabled ones even “get” what she was saying.  But, then my eyes fill up with tears as she says….

“Yes, that’s what it’s all about.”

And then, once we do….Who knows how God might use us?

And who knows.  Maybe all the things we value won’t matter anymore.  Maybe we will be like the shiny-eyed one, serving children in China….

Once we realize that we don’t need to impress the world with our achievements and value.

Valuing God.  Above all else.  Only seeing.  The world.  As He sees it.

Yes, maybe that’s where the secret of all joy lies…..

Whether handicapped or not.

(Linking with Missional Women, Barbie)