Day 38 in Review

Prayer: Yes
Scripture: Yes
Silence: Yes

The Deed/The Day: Today I had the privilege of listening to two friends who needed to release some pent up concerns. This falls into that nebulous category of "that's what friends do" category, which so often doubles as a deed. But through this experiment, I have come to understand that listening is VERY important on a number of levels. Everyone needs to purge thoughts that burden them. And being the person to "take out the trash" fills a necessary need.

Speaking of, on Friday I followed the stinkiest, most foul smelling garbage truck from Riverside across the Fuller Warren to San Marco. I am not kidding when I thought I was going to vomit. At first I thought I had stepped in something, or worse yet, some kid had tracked it into Beast Master unknowingly and the  disturbance was somewhere hidden and ground-in in "the way back." But it wasn't, because I saw others on the street holding their noses in disgust. This truck was hauling some repulsive load of trash that was clearly beyond nasty. My take on it (as I breathed through my mouth in an attempt to meditate my way through the yuck)? Crap stinks. But someone has to gather it, contain it and haul it off. That's what friends do, I think.

Since I was unclear on whether listening was actually deeding, I tried another approach. I went back to WeGive.org and donated $10 to the Officer Jack Foundation. They do public service announcements and talks to kids about the dangers of drugs and other social ills. This resonates. Especially after last week's interview with the coalition studying local drug abuse and all the new trends in drug abuse. I learned about eyeballing and i-dosing and all that weird stuff. Kids need some direction, and this group seemed like they could really make a difference.

Words of encouragement/advice: Every single day I check Facebook, I read words on my newsfeed from an old public relations contact/friend I made back in the day when I was a staff writer at The Business Journal. Here is his picture and name in case you want to look him up: Marc C. Little:

He represented some folks I used to interview a lot, and we've kept in touch through the obsession, which is Facebook. Now, he evangelizes. Via Facebook. Everyday I think, "dang, he doesn't let a day go by!" Today he shared a link to this, from Harvest.com:

"Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes."

–Luke 19:41-42

As Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the crowds were celebrating. They were laughing. They were cheering. They were having a great time. And what was Jesus doing? He saw the city, and He wept over it. Here was the crowd, whipped into a frenzy, and Jesus was weeping. The crowd was rejoicing, and Christ was sobbing.

Why did Jesus weep when He saw Jerusalem? Being God and having omniscience, Jesus knew these fickle people who were crying out, "Hosanna!" would soon be shouting, "Crucify Him!" He knew that one of His handpicked disciples, Judas, would betray Him. He knew that another disciple, Peter, would deny Him. He knew that Caiaphas, the high priest, would conspire with Pilate, the Roman governor, to bring about His death. And, He knew the future of Jerusalem. Looking ahead 40 years, He saw the destruction that would come upon the city at the hands of the Emperor Titus and his Roman legions.

Jesus also wept because His ministry was almost over. Time was short. He had healed their sick. He had raised their dead. He had cleansed their lepers. He had fed their hungry. He had forgiven their sins. Yet for the most part, He had been rejected. John 1:11 says, "He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him." And so He wept. This broke His heart, and it still does.

Unbelief and rejection breaks God's heart, because He knows the consequences. But when the door of the human heart is shut, He refuses to enter forcibly. He will only knock, wanting to gain admittance. He has given us the ability to choose. But when we choose the wrong thing, He knows the repercussions that will follow—in this life and the one to come. And His heart is broken."

That spoke to me this morning. I was appreciative to Marc for sharing, and I told him. Is that a deed? Sharing how you feel with someone? Not sure. But this is how he responded:

"Hi Susanna. Thanks for reaching out. I am glad that you find comfort in my nervous attempt at evangelism. As I go through life-changing circumstances---which occur more times than we could ever imagine---I always ask God how I can use those experiences to do His work. My Facebook evangelism is just one of the ways that His glory is shining through me. I pray that your family is well. May God Bless You and Keep You!"

Final thoughts: I think that is definitely one question that keeps coming up as I wrap up this Lenten experiment: How can I use my experiences to do his work?