True Charity

Last night, our family ended the day with one of the daily readings from the Bible Study Hope Lives. We read this... on true charity:

I think I'm learning that God's justice, what God commands, is that each of his people would have enough bread to live on day by day and be given enough dignity to thrive. It is God's justice that he has commanded me to give. Not charity. An occasional guilt or benevolence offering isn't what God wants from me. True charity is love. True charity is mercy. And it's not extra credit, not an addendum to my faith. As Christians, it's who we are; it's our essence.

I want God to transform my heart by the Holy Spirit so that I love what God loves, so that mercy naturally flows out of me. I want to show others mercy because it was first shown to me; to offer mercy to others as fellow guests at God's table, not as a benevolent queen offering scraps to beggars at my feet.

God, please give me your heart. True charity, true mercy bleeds. It's not an uninvolved, unthinking check. I know you don't want sacrifices that cost me nothing. "If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing" (1 Corinthians 13:3, NLT).  If I give every last cent, but I don't do it in your love, it's a waste. Mercy is attached to my heart. God, please change my heart. I give it to you. Transform it to love with your love.

~ Amber Van Schooneveld, Hope Lives, pages 35-36.

This week, Compassion Bloggers are in the Philippines. After our Bible Study, our family read through the blog posts and looked through the photos from Day 3. This video posted by Kat of Inspired To Action gripped us...

Please pause the Playlist on the sidebar of this blog as you watch this video:


These homes have dirty water surrounding them for as much as nine months each year. These families live everyday in conditions that are worse than what we can ever imagine here in North America. But, they have HOPE... because of the work of Compassion International.

Will you join our family and respond with true charity? Will you be a part of the story that God is writing for a Filipino child's life? Will you sponsor a Filipino child through Compassion International?

"True charity is love. True charity is mercy. And it's not extra credit, not an addendum to my faith. As Christians, it's who we are; it's our essence."

Unwrapping more of His love in this world.

Act justly.  Love mercy.  Walk humbly with God!