I walk up the stairs every day to get to work. I go taking my sacrifice of livelihood and prestige. I go, applying the sacrifices of others. Their finances, their time, such valuable stock, I help make it count.
I work for Charlottesville Abundant Life Ministries. We serve a poor community in Charlottesville, VA. We serve the entire family. Fathers, mothers, men, ladies; their sons and our daughters: our students. In serving, we build. We build homes, community, good diets, good learners, their skill sets, and the family.
“Unless the LORD builds the house,
the builders labor in vain.” v1
We watch as we build. We watch kids because they need the attention. We watch our brother and sisters so we can take each opportunity to BE brothers and sisters. As we watch, we guard. We stamp out bad behavior. We watch to encourage good behavior. We guard against despair with arms for others to grieve in. We guard against hopelessness with home visits, open car doors, service projects, newsletters, and celebrating report cards. We guard the good we see.
“Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the guards stand watch in vain.” v1
We build and guard and find ourselves children, with children. In seeking to give fellowship and resources to the poor, we ourselves become poor. We become the ones without family and friends. We become ones with needs so far beyond our means we can do nothing but beg. And the first ear we reach is God’s. As children, we beg for things we can’t live without; we depend on him. As wait for our need to be met (and surpassed), God’s children depend on us. They knock on our doors, wait for our cars, open their arms, smile at our faces, and wait for us.
In the moments of returning a grim face for a grimace at the sound of our shaking, begging cups, in the moment returning a cranky glare to winsome giggles, we remember. We are a blessing that God has blessed.
“Children are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward.”
Each morning, we all walk seven, small flights of stairs to get to work. We carry our sacrifices to and meet the sacrifices of others at the top. Like people and priest so long ago, we travel, with hope, to worship.
