The Worst Brings Forth The Best

“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?  And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?  When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’”  Matthew 25:24-40

The past week has not been easy for me.  With great pain, I have been watching, from afar, as a natural disaster has struck my beloved home state and seeing the damage caused to lives and property all around the area that I lived.  As I have been going through several images of relief efforts, I have been in tears this morning.  Tears of sorrow for those that have been forced to leave their homes.  Tears of sadness for those that have been injured or worse.  It is overwhelming.

My tears are also of hope and pride.  So many companies and resources have been called into action.  H-E-B Grocery, a Texas-based chain of stores, has mustered supplies and volunteers.  Police, Fire, and Medical forces from all over have kicked into high gear, not to mention our Armed Forces.  Places like the George R. Brown Convention Center and Falcon Steel’s Warehouse are being used as shelters for evacuees.   Native Houstonian, Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, has opened his Gallery Furniture stores to take in those needing shelter.  Several states have already sent relief forces to South Texas.  A great many people, owning boats, have hooked up and headed down to help rescue many more still caught in the floods.  If an individual has had the means, he/she have taken it upon themselves to lend a hand.  This is an emotional time, all around.

Amid a nation attempting to tear itself apart with racial issues, people of various ethnic backgrounds have proven that “Loving one another” is still stronger than those that are bent on destroying goodness.  They have shown that we can come together when the going gets tough.  We can stand united and MUST continue to do so, long after this recent disaster is over. 

“For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” Matthew 18:20