Who's You VIPS? Your Lydias, Lazuruses, and Your Rich & Poor

Acts 16:13-14 ¹³ On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. ¹⁴ One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.

Paul had been recently converted from Saul, and now was and had given His life to the mission of teaching and preaching JESUS CHRIST.  While doing so....a group of women, one Lydia (a very wealthy woman and a seller of purple) heard the message of Christ, and not only desired to become a follower of Christ's teachings but immediately wanted to fund advancing the message of salvation.  In the book " The 11 Most Indispensable Relationships......" Leonard Sweet pens a chapter that says we need to have people that are "....our sponsor, your patron, your partner, and your provider?  Why?  Because as a follower of Christ the mission He has you on may require people who may not be as driven to go like you, but are driven to give.

I have observed this first hand, over 3 years ago I felt the Lord calling me to Africa to do a short term missions trip.  But after sitting in the planning meeting my wife and I...I have to to admit I was discouraged because $3800 to raise is a lot of money when you have none, and you are essentially living from paycheck to paycheck.   Oh, I forgot...that no. needed to be doubled because my wife desired to go as well ($7600).   So here we are (never having been on a mission trip, never left the country) choosing to trust GOD to make a way out of no way so we began sending out emails and letters to "possible" sponsors......in short one of my first letters back funded the entire trip for one person. ARE YOU KIDDING ME.......the truth is...there are people that aren't as abled bodied to do such a trip, but have dreamt of being a part of making a difference against the poverty and injustices in the world and them catching word of someone going.....maybe their opportunity to make an impact.

Sweet says, " Your success hinges on one thing:  Is there someone out there who believes in you enough, and believes in the mission of your organization, to pony up to the table and put money where your mouth is?  All it takes is one, but the presences Lydia galvanizes others & generates a momentum that enables you...."pg 187  and  " Do we truly hunger  & thirst for righteousness and holiness, or is success for ourselves our lives' main passion and drive?  Are our lives lived for ourselves, which Jesus called a living death?  Or are our lives lived for others........."and last but not least " It is one thing to have a heart for the poor.  It is another to use their bathroom.  Rather, we treat the poor as anonymous recipients of charity rather than engage them as equals." pg 192

To end I say this....don't just give your money....give your time and or your talents.   While in Africa, on a ride to our Safari (Sabbath Retreat) we were riding and literally out of the bushes kids sprouted up and were lunging toward the vehicle echoing "muney muney muney" (money) and the driver talked about how this behavior (he was native there) broke his heart because the truth is what could they do with American dollars out here in the bush?  There are no currency exchanges our there...  But we realized what they needed were people....people willing to come and be with them, like Christ.   To spend time teaching, loving, helping, loving, playing, and loving them enough to invest themselves into them to help them better themselves and be able to help others.   Like Connections to Success.....breaking the cycle of poverty one person/family at a time.  WHERE ARE YOU AT?  WHO DO YOU SPONSOR beyond the WALLS of your CHURCH?  SPONSOR THEIR MISSION FIRST.  WHAT young non-profit business owner do you support?  What young business owner are you helping to become the next________________?  WHAT MISSIONARY do you partner with to keep GOD's mission funded?  Let's continue to leverage our power our abundance to help those that are powerless.  LGLP