It’s not a cause…it’s a lifestyle.

Our world is full of causes for numerous things: Save the trees, save the whales, save the animals from being eaten. There are runs to fund causes, walks to raise awareness. Causes are not worthless – God calls us to a cause to defend the orphan and the widow. He calls us to advocate for the poor and needy. He tells us to love the unloved, share our possessions with those who have none and to go make disciples in all nations.

Why really help those in need? To make myself feel better about the person I am? So others know that I am doing something worthwhile, something “noble”? No, dear God please no. I desire to help others because that is the meaning to life.  Love, Serve, Obey.  It’s simple really. When life is about me, life sucks. I would rather be poured out completely than live a self-indulgent life.  And when I forget this, my husband is quick to remind me, “Heather it’s not all about you.” Isn’t he a good man J

Is helping those in need a cause? One to be campaigned for today and forgotten about tomorrow? Is helping a child reduced to catchy phrases, fads and being “hip”? Truly caring is not relative to social network likes, groups or followers. While these tools can be great messengers, they are meaningless if no action is taking place.

My prayer to God is to see like he sees, love like he loves. This is rarely easy. Loving those who may not or will not love you back is HARD. It is easy to put up walls, to protect our hearts because rejection hurts and loving those who cannot or do not know how to love you back is exhausting.

But my thought is this: I don’t want people to be “causes”, “projects” or numbers on a report. I want loving people to be my lifestyle. I want my heart to ache with the mother who has lost her child, with the child who feels alone, for those who are hurting. I want to love not for the cause, but because loving people and sacrificing for others is ultimately what God calls us to do. May that be my lifestyle.