I am a link in a chain.
Thousands of people hold hands tightly, straining together to pull thousands more out of a sea of quicksand.
Every now and then, someone leaves our chain to rest or follow a selfish path and those who are left behind are obliged to pick up the slack.
The resistance of the quicksand is incredible, sucking its victims below the claustrophobic surface with incredible efficiency. Most losing the strength to keep their grip on the human chain.
There are many chains pulling people out of the quicksand but there are not nearly enough.
The quicksand is as a vast desert, stretching as far as the eye can see in every direction. Those of us on dry land are outnumbered by more than a million to one but we keep pulling those out whom we can pull out.
Some human chains are better financed. Some have no finance at all.
Those with resources are able to construct belts with hooks that take the strain of people’s arms. Some even have automated rescue systems by way of sophisticated conveyer belt.
But most do not. Those with little to no resources use what they have, exhausted to the point of death, yet they carry on pulling with all their might.
Around us, people sit in extravagant homes watching the rescue effort.
A lady sits upon her porch drinking iced tea, a luxury vehicle in her driveway that could fund our chain for years.
Gatherer stands beside me and node his head at her.
Gatherer:
“The rich have received their reward in this life. For opulence at the cost of a single hungry child is inexcusable. God is not mocked, whatsoever you sow in this life, you reap eternally.
To sow indifference is to reap indifference. To sow unforgiveness is to reap unforgiveness. To sow lack of mercy is reap lack of mercy. God is neither ignorant nor incompetent in His judgement of man.
Do not be misled, sins that kill the body are one thing, but to sin against your own conscience at the expense of children is completely inexcusable.
If you are aware of poverty, yet do nothing about it when it is in your power to do so, you sow a seed that brings forth a terrible eternal harvest. For inaction and indifference are as a smoking gun on the day of judgement.
This is why this assignment, this vision are so important son of sorrow. You will teach an entire generation to live lives of righteous generosity. For you cannot separate righteousness from generosity, and you cannot separate generosity from righteousness.
Indeed, the Father takes it very personally. He views any service to the poor as a loan to Him and He shall repay every investment with eternal interest.
And the Son too takes it personally. So much so that He receives what is done for the poor as if it were done for Him and He feels rejected when the poor are rejected. Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for Him. It is a very serious matter son of sorrow!
Look to the chain of which you are a part. Look to the faces and names who join this vision. Remember them well, for their eternal rewards shall be great. The Father takes this very personally and the angels record every deed.
The issue is that most saints do not believe that God is real. They respond to the social acceptance in churches and home-groups, not to the sovereignty of an omnipotent, omniscient God. If Jesus was truly king to them, they would fulfill His every desire but He is nothing but savior and a convenient friend in time of need. So they ignore His commands.
They do not forgive. They do not love. They do not feed the poor. And they do not make disciples.
It is simple son of sorrow. If you love Jesus, you will do as He commands. If you do. Ot love Him, you will be indifferent to His commands and indifferent to His heart.
Take note of what I bring you son of sorrow.
You will teach millions to focus on the poor and you will see how God uses those who are willing to walk with you to rescue two billion souls.
Have faith, be strong and courageous, God is sending an army!
His kingdom is all son of sorrow!”
Me:
“Amen! His kingdom is all!”