Do, Love, Walk

My desk is awash with papers and books that need attention, my kids
are working on homework projects and want advice, many flagged emails
and things to think about, without even coming to the food shopping
and planning and cleaning and normal home organizing that has to
happen on a Saturday, the only day in the week I usually spend focused
on life survival. So when I finally sat down to work and there was an
immediate knock on the door as Julia called "mom, someone's in the
kitubbi" my heart sank. Part of the stress of being home alone is the
no-sharing of dealing with anything. But as I walked to the door, the
ipod (on blast volume I might add) was playing a Stephen Curtis
Chapman oldie: Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God. A
well-timed attitude check from a musical Micah 6:8.

In the kitubbi, two anxious parents and one very dehydrated baby. No,
they had not gone through proper channels of being referred from the
hospital. But I had seen them there during an admission less than
three weeks ago, so when the baby became seriously ill again they went
straight to the place they hoped to get help. And while part of me
wants to create protective rules for my Saturday survival, thanks to
the music in my head I was able to see them with empathy. If my baby
looked like that you better believe I'd do whatever it took to get
attention. The dad's dress indicated a different world religion, but
that is no barrier when a child's life is at stake, and I'm glad for
that, that justice and mercy offered in a humble way cross barriers of
faith and culture.

On Friday, at the "launch and lunch" celebrating the end of our week-
long Village Health Team training on nutrition in HIV/AIDS, I walked
in late just as John was graciously covering for me, and found myself
immediately invited to speak. The first thing that came to mind was
Isaiah 58, so I read a few of my favorite verses, and found that
though I was preaching to the VHT's the Spirit was speaking to ME. If
you extend your soul, pour yourself out, on behalf of the needy and
hungry . . . then God will be your guard, He will come to your aid.
As volunteers these health workers will pay a price to help others.
But their reward is from God, and He promises to refill what they pour
out.

Today I cling to that promise, too. And to the clarity: what is
required? Just this: to do justice, to love mercy, to walk humbly
with God. This was a life verse we reflected on at my Dad's death, a
summary of the way he lived. And it provides a guide for me and for
our team. Let us pursue justice vigorously, let us live out acts of
mercy, and let us do both, not in a way that promotes ourselves or
America or World Harvest . . .but in a humble day to day walk with God.