Email

Bookmark

Print

Called to the Poor and Needy

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, 'Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me'" (Matthew 25:40). 

Jeanne Jeffery stared at that verse in her Bible and then read it again. "Why, I've read and heard those words by the Lord Jesus Christ many times!" she thought. "Why do I feel as if I am seeing them for the very first time?"

As Jeanne pondered that verse, she suddenly realized that if poor people needed to be clothed and fed (especially poor Christians), it was just as if the Lord needed it himself. 'Oh, if my Lord Jesus were hungry or ill or in prison, I just can't imagine my not helping, feeding or visiting Him!' she thought.

Compassion for the needy welled up in Jeanne's heart. Shortly after that, she heard of a halfway house for released prisoners that had burned down, so she sent them blankets. Then she began corresponding with a man in prison. Then some friends of hers mentioned that they had served as volunteer chaplains in an inner-city hospital.

"The idea of ministering to people in a hospital appealed to me," says Jeanne, "so even though I had doubts about my ability to do such work, I felt compelled to look into the possibility!"

Jeanne went to see the three women who served as chaplains in the inner-city hospital. After hearing of her experience in the Lord's work, they accepted her as a volunteer chaplain and she began work immediately at the city hospital.

Compassion
Before she started a chaplain told her, "We feel it is important to demonstrate to the indigent people who come here on an emergency basis that God loves them and someone cares for them. They're often badly hurt and, first of all, these need compassion and sympathy and someone to listen to their woes. What they don't need at this time is someone who literally throws the gospel at them."

As Jeanne thought about this advice, she agreed. If the Lord did want her to reach someone with His good news, He would certainly show her how to go about it in a non-threatening way.

He did. During Jeanne's first week as a chaplain she had the joy of helping a man come back to the Lord. She had been assigned to the burn unit.

"How were you burned?" she asked the new arrival.

"My wife threw acid at me," he answered.

After Jeanne asked him several more questions, the man exclaimed, "You know, I think the Lord is trying to say something to me! I've been backsliding from the Lord."

After they talked, Jeanne took his hand and prayed with him. After the man was released from the hospital, Jeanne visited his home. She encouraged his wife and him to start attending a Bible-preaching church near their home.

   To read the next portion of this article - Click Here.

Related Reading:
A home grown ministry
Discover the Spirit-Filled life
Need advice? Ask us.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dr. Muriel Larson, author of 17 books and thousands of published writings and songs, is a Doctor of Religious Education, a certified professional counselor, long-time professional writer, counselor and speaker and has taught at writers' conferences across the United States. She also serves as an advice columnist for  Christian Women Today.