(We met Sally and Lee back in April of 2019 at a Gateway Stories night. Since then we have grown close and Sally is a beautiful woman of prayer and service to the King! This is the story of how the Little House ministry was birthed.)
Five years ago in my morning devotions , I read Proverbs 31. It’s all about a godly woman, what her daily life would look. She is a “Wonder Woman!” She apparently never sleeps! Too high for me to attain…But the following verses grabbed my attention: “Open your mouth for the people who cannot speak, For the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, And defend the rights of the poor and needy.” “She extends her hand to the poor, And she stretches out her hands to the needy. She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.” Proverbs 31:8-9, 31:20, 25-26. Actually it did more than grab my attention. It brought me to my proverbial knees and left me in a puddle of tears. The presence of the Lord is a constant, yet there are times when His presence it’s overwhelming. This was one of those times. It took me months to try and share what God had laid on my heart. Months of prayer, seeking to find what He actually was inviting me to do. I was 75 years old. Seemed kind of old to begin something. But there is always something more the Lord wants us to learn, and this was an area I had never even heard in a sermon in 50 years of listening to many preachers. And so I finally shared, as best I could, what God’s plans for my near future were. Thankfully no one mentioned my years of living on this beautiful planet, nor my lack of resources, nor my health. My sisters in Christ joined me and encouraged me, and it began. Soon husbands and children jumped in, mine especially! And The Little House was born! And the beans were on the stove! And the bananas were on the counter, along with chips, tortillas, and Rice Krispie Treats! And every Saturday morning my sisters arrived at our house and we made bean, egg, (we had chickens then!) and potato burritos! We packed lunches and went to the highways and byways searching for the poor and needy. We found them! A lot of them! And soon knew their names and where they would most likely be. “She extends her hand to the poor, And she stretches out her hands to the needy. And oh how I loved them. This kind of love doesn’t come from wanting to do good things, or sympathy, or needing a purpose – it comes directly from God. It’s a “God-thing!” Genuinely hugging them. No thought of danger, or dirt, or disease. Just to be able to call them by name, tell them “I love you,” and mean it! Not judging the extent of their attempt to get what they want, but only seeing their emptiness. Feeling their loneliness. Have you ever been lonely? Needy? Depressed? God uses those seasons of our lives (if we let Him) to realize we have been there, we may have walked a mile or so in their shoes. But God sent someone to us when we were physically or spiritually or mentally “poor and needy.” Is He calling you to “extend your hand?” Not everyone is called to this life to speak for those who have no voice. The Body of Christ is made up of many moving parts, each with their own job. You will know if this is your part. If you just want to volunteer at a soup kitchen once a year, then do that. This is not that job. This is your life. This is taking up your cross and following Jesus. This is yoking yourself with the Servant called Jesus. This is reaching out daily, moment by moment, searching for the next person God puts in your path. Praying you won’t miss one that needs to hear and feel God’s love. It’s the cry of Isaiah and Samuel – “Here am i! Send me!” “Strength and dignity are her clothing, And she laughs at the future.” She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.” Proverbs 31:25,26
