With open arms and extended hands..

She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. Proverbs 31:20

Who are the poor and needy?

Where can they be found?

Does the 'Proverbs 31 Wife' sit at home and wait for them to turn up at her door..

or does she go in search of the hungry, the sick, the poor and lonely?

Perhaps she does not have to go very far at all!

Needy ones are often found dwelling under the same roof as the christian woman who aspires to emulate this proverbial paragon of virtue.

But do we see them..really see them?

A needy soul may be living out their days right beside us,

 and we might not be aware of the depth of their lack and emptiness.

Perhaps within our own family and circle of friends, there is someone longing to be free from their miserable state.

Oh, they may live in a comfortable house and have food on their plate at each meal..

they may have plenty of clothes in their cupboard and a warm bed to sleep in at night.

Money is not lacking, nor work, nor entertainment or recreation.

And yet..

The poverty in their very soul may be crushingly real and cruel!

Sure, they may smile and tell you they are "fine"  if you ask after them..

but if you persist in looking deeply into their heart - beyond the external walls and feeble facade - you may find a very different story.

They may be hungry.

Starving for something which they cannot explain to you.

They're hungry for God.

They may be lonely.

Desperate for a love that transcends all others.

They're lonely for God.

They may feel lost.

Wandering around in an emotional mine-field of confusion.

They're searching for God.

They may be hurt.

Carrying a pain that gnaws away at them.

They're aching for God.

All this and more may be robbing them of life and hope and joy; but they try to cover up and hide their need from you and the world around them.

Not wanting to be seen as weak.

Not wanting to let others in to the place of their pain.

They have become adept at presenting themselves as strong when they are far from it!

Desperate for escape but not knowing how or where to find it, they privately struggle on, day after day in a hopeless search for a way out of their dilema.

They need a helping hand!

They need to be pulled up out of the mire of their misery.

They need strong arms around them and shoulders to carry them.

They need a helping hand!

And eyes that see, and ears that hear, and feet that run to them in love.

A heart that puts aside it's own agendas, to go in search of those that need to be found.

Arms that gather up the lost and gently lead the way back 'home'.

They need a helping hand!

 

 

This Christmas season I would like to encourage you to take a good look around - there may be someone close-by who is secretly drowning in emotional or spiritual loneliness and poverty.

I know this is a busy time of the year for many people..parties to attend or organise...presents to buy or make...food to be cooked and homes to be decorated.

But for some souls, this is the darkest season..a depressing time fraught with danger..the time that brings their lonely sadness into sharp focus against the all glitter and party gatherings of people around them.

A time that causes pain and hardship and desperation.

So friends, let's make a special effort to try to share with them the true joy of what Christmas is really all about.

The wonderful Good News and glad tidings - that God so loved the world.. this sad, lonely, confused and sinful dark world.. that He could not bear to leave it lost, ignored and forgotten!

 

He sent His own precious Son to be the Light of the World..to bring people out of their dark places and into the light of truth and grace..to the heart of their heavenly Father who sees all their pain and longs to save and heal them.. to sweep them off their feet and into His eternal embrace of  deepest love and joy!!

 

Let's open our arms and extend our hands to whoever needs to know this ....they may be a lot closer than you think!