Sound of Surviving Blog

Have you ever put your all into something, only to be told by everyone around you that it’s a waste of time? It’s pretty disheartening, right? You put all this time and energy and resources into a dream, or a person, and everyone tells you you’re crazy. And you start to believe them, at least a little anyway. Because they must know better than you do. But there’s still something telling you deep inside, that this is what you’re supposed to do, still this voice inside, whispering to you that it’s worth it, “Don’t give up just yet.” I’ve had this happen more than once. I’ve had people ask me why I’m wasting my time volunteering, or why I’m wasting my time doing this or that. But the truth is, I’ve never once felt that any of these things was a waste of time. In fact, I felt God pulling me towards them. I’ve heard his still small voice, whispering to me, “Don’t give up”. I’ve had people question why I waste my time and money volunteering, when I’m not getting paid. But I’ve found that those experiences are more rewarding to me than silver or gold or money will ever be. I’ve found that when I serve these children, the ones who no one else wants, who are closed off to the rest of the world, I’m not just gaining experience here on earth; I get to practice heaven on earth too. Each time I bring in materials and take the time to sit with one of these children and do crafts with them, I am straightening their heavenly crown, reminding them that they are chosen, that they are loved and enough. I hardly ever get thank-yous from the kids I volunteer or work with, disabled or not. But if I am called to love and to live like Christ, I’m not called to serve just those who can do something for me, but to serve those who have nothing to offer in return. If Christ died on the cross for you and for me, sinners with nothing to offer in return, the greatest way we can serve him is to do the same, to walk in his footsteps. And the way children see us live our lives, will impact how they live their own. Whether they are our children or not, kids are watching us, to learn how to do life. You might say, “Well, they’re not my kids, so it’s not my problem.” But if we show kids how to love, not just others, but to love themselves, for who they are, we can make our world better. After all, Jesus says in Marthew 19:14, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these”. And I’ve always loved that this verse doesn’t exclude any child. It doesn’t say only the children without physical handicaps, or without Autism, or without any developmental delays. If Jesus includes loving all children in his words to the people, we, as his people, are called to follow these instructions. After all, if by loving the children of the earth for who they are, I can help make heaven crowded, that to me is worth more than all money, diamonds, or pearls. It is a reward so much like those children themselves, priceless.