This week was our community service outreach at COA. As I was looking through some of the materials for the 6 Wk Quest, in consideration for Community Group, this verse stood out. Loving our neighbors as ourselves contributes to social justice, in working towards a more egalitarian society reducing the gap between the rich and the poor; and placing value on the inherent dignity of each person.
I've wondered about the stories of those we serve at COA. This weekend, I learned at least a partial story of one person. As our band was playing an old hymn during the service, one person walked out of the service with his finger pointed up saying that he wanted to play that for God. He left and came back with his harmonica and joined the band on the platform for a couple of hymns. It turns out that he used to play professionally in jazz clubs. After we had finished served food and was cleaning up, he came in asking if we had any food left, since he said that he was so excited about playing music for the LORD that he forgot all about dinner.
A quote I came across also applies to outreach:
"Pleasure-seeking, as we learn from experience, is a barren business; happiness is never found till we have the grace to stop looking for it and to give our attention to persons and matters external to ourselves." - J. I. Packer
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