PURE AND UNDEFILED RELIGION BEFORE GOD…

“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble…” James 1:27.

Me and my friend Libby lived out this Scripture even though it wasn’t something we thought out of the goodness of our heart! But I think when we did it, we did the two positions unto the Lord! We both worked in a retirement residence while we went to the same church and where we were doing children ministry! We both were in our 20s.

We had fun at both places and it brought a lot of spiritual satisfaction! In the retirement residence we tried to be the Jesus with our presence there! As it says in Matthew 5:16 : “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” We were being the light glorifying God!

As examples, we would try to talk about Jesus as much as we could during our breaks with the elderly, underhandedly! They would call me the brunette and Libby the blonde, and at times we were in the office when they would call through the microphone and say, ‘I want to talk to the blonde Nancy’! They really meant Libby. They got our names confused. At times it was ‘I want to talk to the brunette Libby’! They really meant Nancy!

There was an old Jewish man in a wheelchair without legs who asked Libby to pray for him as he wasn’t feeling well. Three days later he passed away! We both believed he had asked Jesus into his heart when she had prayed in the name of Jesus! And we did pray for many of them! Another case were two Jewish ladies in the administration who asked us questions about Jesus and we would tell them the message of salvation! They would ask us to pray for their family lives! As I said it brought a lot of spiritual satisfaction! I think after a while the whole residence knew we were Christians, the staff as well as the residents! I remember even the cook liked us and would call us to have lunch: she knew what was our favorite meals and she would smile to be feeding us too!

Then as for children ministry, at church, we would both do it on Wednesday eve and Sunday morning. Libby did with third graders. I did with second graders! We were teacher assistants! Some of our jobs were to rock the children ; do playtime with them; to serve them at snack time; to help with coloring time of the Bible characters while we explained who the characters were! We tried to bring the message of salvation at their level!

Being a Jesus person can be fun specially while we went in twos! Of course in the retirement residence we were all getting A+ on doing our jobs! I know the elderly were specially grateful to us, as most of their relative never came to visit them! They would come for sure to pay the rent at beginning of the month, on time, which I knew since I was the bookkeeper!

In the children ministry, the lead pastors always thanked us! They seemed to like us! Both me and Libby were all gun-ho for Jesus, going wherever He led. Looking back I knew we were doing His will and living out James 1:27! It was all Jesus’ doing! We were willing! “Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” 2 Timothy 4:2.
Time changes but the Word remains the same!

I know in the world’s eyes these type of jobs are humbling, but in the Kingdom of God He exalts us when we are doing it unto Him ! And He gets exalted!