Suffering with the Poor

One of the new blog buzz questions of the week is..."If compassion means, "to suffer with," how do we attach ourselves to the suffering of the poor? What does it look like and how do we implement it into our lives?" Wow. I was not sure about this one. It really got me to thinking. You know I don't suffer WITH or FOR the poor. Should I be? How would I do that? I began to think about what it means to suffer. I "suffer" when our air goes out and I am hot. I "suffer" with hunger pains when I don't get to eat right away. I "suffer" when we have used up my husband's pay check for the two weeks and we don't get paid for another 5 days. I realize that I am very blessed. The Lord began to whisper to my heart that "to suffer with" the poor and to show true compassion, it should cost me something...it should be life-changing. In America today, we are so blessed and really count the cost when something affects our lives, our time, our comfort zones, or our wallets. Now, my husband and I sponser a child in poverty from India through Compassion International and I love their ministry...but, it doesn't cost me anything. One time eating out with my family pays for the month for my child. That is NOT suffering for the poor. The Lord brought 2 passages of scripture to my mind. First, I Chronicles 21:18-27. David wanted to offer a sacrifice to the Lord to protect his people, but he was away from home and didn't have a place to set up an alter. He found a man with a threshing floor and asked for permission to buy the site. The man offers to give it to David for free, along with animals for the sacrifice. What I love is David's reply. "...I will not take for the Lord what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing." Second, Matthew 19:16-22. A rich young ruler is wanting eternal life and lets the Lord know that he has kept all the commandments. The Lord knows his heart and so tells him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me." The sad thing is, the young man turns down the invitation to help the poor and follow Jesus because..."he had great possessions." Now, to make it personal. I would have to say that our decision to adopt is probably the first thing we have ever done that has caused us to sacrifice our control, our comfort zones, our time, our finances, and will definitely change our lives forever. We have had to lay everything at the Lord's feet and say, "Lead us and we will follow." Now, I know that everyone cannot adopt a child. (Although, I must throw in a thought of my own that many more people CAN adopt than WILL. Usually when I am talking to someone about adoption the common responses are, "We don't have the money, or we don't feel comfortable with it." Both, I believe just mean we are not willing to sacrifice for this, and or we don't believe God is big enough to change our hearts and fill our wallets. Then my precious husband has to remind me that I am not the Holy Spirit for everyone else. :) However, I believe anyone can find a way to truly sacrfice financially, or give up precious time, or leave comfort zones, to make an impact in the life of someone else who has nothing. And, I can say for a fact that it will change lives! Are you up for the challenge? :)