There are over 400,000 children in the Foster Care System in the United States. I am a mentor to one.
There are 14 million children in the United States. I feed and care for two.
There are approximately 554,000 homeless people living somewhere in the United States. I have helped less than 10 so far this year.
There are an estimated 4.8 million women and children being sex-trafficked each year. I have knowingly aided in the healing and restoration of two.
There are approximately 95 million adults living paycheck to paycheck each year. This year I have paid for someone’s meal less than 20 times.
There are over 150 people living on my street. I have met 10 of those neighbors.
There are over 1000 people who attend my church on Sunday. I have a first name basis relationship with two of them.
There are 325.72 million people in the United States of America. I have met and intentionally prayed for approximately 500 over the past 5 years.
I am small.
And, I need you.
I need you to step into your calling. I need you to take the command to serve and love others seriously. I need you to let go of the bondage you have held onto since childhood. I need you to be set free. I can’t serve our nation alone. I need my brothers and sisters.
I used to tell the Lord, “I’ll do it, God. Send me. I’ll do what everyone else isn’t doing. I’ll go into poverty. I’ll go into hunger. I’ll go into slavery. I’ll go. I’ll go where the people are who need You.”
And I went. I answered the call and devoted myself to every opportunity the Lord has given me. Until it wasn’t enough to satisfy my heart. There were still so many people I wasn’t reaching. People I could never reach. My heart ached daily for people to know Jesus.
I spent hours night after night begging God to increase my influence so I could reach more people. Surely, with Him, I could reach hundreds, if not thousands more who need His love. I needed Him to move through me. I was willing—and people’s lives depended on it.
But after awhile, my mind began to comprehend the vast emptiness I felt in my heart. The reality sunk in peacefully as the Holy Spirit connected the heart of God with mine. I couldn’t do it alone, and I wasn’t supposed to.
I started praying instead, “Lord, raise up my brothers and sisters. Awaken their hearts. Break their bondages. Ignite their spirit. Pour out Your fire upon them so they will step into their calling and destiny. Give them courage, strength, and wisdom to carry out every assignment You have prepared in advance for them. Destroy the strongholds and deliver them. This world needs Your children living out their purpose.”
As a Christian, I am set apart to be the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13). Being the salt of the earth means being the influence. I am called to be an influence to the present and future generations. In word and in deed (Colossians 3:17), and with actions and in truth (1 John 3:18). I am also called to join with other Christians to have a greater “salt” impact in this world “so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known” (Ephesians 3:10 emphasis added).
I am one in 327 million people who profess to be Christian.
One.
I am not enough to reach the ends of the earth, but we, we together can change the world.
“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:14-18 emphasis added).