Where Does the Lord Want You?

"Poverty is not necessarily an issue to solve; it is an opportunity to serve. As we go through each day, our heart's cry should be, Lord, where would you have me give, serve, and invest myself to bring hope to the poor?" 

~Orphan Justice author, Johnny Carr

Over the past couple of days, I've learned something about the Savior that I never knew. I learned about His purpose for being called a Nazarene (Matthew 2:23). Warren W. Wiersbe said it best in his book, "The Wonderful names of Jesus". He stated that Nazareth was a despised and rejected place. It had a mixed population of Jews and Gentiles. Nazareth, despised by men, was glorified by Jesus Christ because He identified Himself with it. Jesus of Nazareth identified Himself with publicans and sinners, the unwanted, and the outcasts.

I believe that it can be rightly said that Jesus identified Himself with poverty and the poor (1 Corinthians 8:9). A synonym for the word poverty is insufficiency. A definition for the word poor is deficient or lacking in something. If you read the scripture above, you will see that Jesus served a purpose in identifying Himself with the poor. The poor were lacking in something. But when Jesus identified with them, He became to them what they lacked. He made them complete. The poverty of the people in Jesus' day became the opportunity Jesus needed to serve. Wherever He saw the need, He was there. When we study the life of Jesus, we see that God had a purpose for sending His only Son (John 3:16). He saw the need of His people. God placed Jesus right where He needed to be.

There are children today who live in poverty all across the world. Just like you and I, they need someone to identify with them. They need someone to meet their need. Can you recall a time in your life when you were poor and in poverty? It could have been physical, spiritual or emotional. When someone came to meet your need, how did you feel? For me, I felt relief. To identify with children in poverty is to say that you desire to meet their need.

In the quote above, there are listed several ways you can identify with these children: giving, serving, investing, and bringing hope. Where does the Lord want you? Sponsor a child today. Identify with them in their time of need.

#compassionbloggers