“We often ask God to show up. We pray prayers of rescue. Perhaps God would ask us to be that rescue, to be His body, to move for things that matter. He is not invisible when we come alive. I might be simple but more and more, I believe God works in love, speaks in love, is revealed in our love. I have seen that this week and honestly, it has been simple: Take a broken girl, treat her like a famous princess, give her the best seats in the house. Buy her coffee and cigarettes for the coming down, books and bathroom things for the days ahead. Tell her something true when all she’s known are lies. Tell her God loves her. Tell her about forgiveness, the possibility of freedom, tell her she was made to dance in white dresses. All these things are true.

We are only asked to love, to offer hope to the many hopeless. We don’t get to choose all the endings, but we are asked to play the rescuers. We won’t solve all mysteries and our hearts will certainly break in such a vulnerable life, but it is the best way. We were made to be lovers bold in broken places, pouring ourselves out again and again until we’re called home.

Sorry for the long quote, but it is impacting me. I very briefly highlighted this story a few months ago when I was introduced to it by a friend in Chicago, but I’ve been thinking about it a bit again lately. Check out the story here.

I think sometimes we can get so easily discouraged and wonder why things aren’t changing or aren’t turning out the way we hoped. But that is part of the paradox of the Christian life, of this journey of following Jesus – things wont always turn out how we hoped. But we still have a responsibility and a calling to act, to do something… otherwise how will anything ever change? And really, it’s not that hard is it? Buy the homeless guy a cup of coffee. Talk to the Big Issue seller you walk past everyday. Be willing to be interrupted.

I guess it links back into my post about life-giving, hope-filled communities.