How to Bring Hope in Crisis: What is Pure and Lovely

What thoughts are occupying space in your mind this month? I hope that you are anticipating summer vacations, time with family, and warm sunshine. But maybe your thoughts are occupied with things like struggles in your family, issues in your community, or inflation. It’s natural to focus on the challenges that arise in day-to-day life. But God has been encouraging me lately to look at the world and my life from a different perspective.

I spend too much time focusing on things that, while factually correct, are still an incomplete picture. It’s like wearing a pair of limited, naturalistic eyeglasses that only allow me to see what’s on the surface. God wants me to take off those glasses and see with His eyes.

Philippians 4:8 encourages us to focus on a truth beyond mere facts. All the factual knowledge in the world cannot equal God’s truth. Paul tells us to ponder those things that are right, pure, lovely, admirable, and praiseworthy. With our limited perspective, the negative is often stealing our attention. We need to refocus on the truth that God sees and we miss, the lovely and praiseworthy things of His Kingdom.

It has long been a part of our vision and mission to feed vulnerable people in Eastern Europe. In fact, because of generous partners like you, in the last year, we were able to provide over 20,000 meals to people impacted by war. Lives were saved! That is a fact. Yet I find that a deeper truth speaks to me. It isn’t war that is at the forefront of God’s mind. It’s the hearts of men, women, and children.

I get so excited when I hear that people are finding hope in Jesus through humanitarian gifts like food. I know that with each bag of food we give, there is an exchange of much more than just food. The food fills them for today, and that is vital for their survival. But hope in Christ Jesus shared through hands of love, is like water on a dry sponge. With God’s love actively demonstrated, desperate hearts find healing. That is the truth I fix my eyes on today.

Will you help me feed someone whose stomach and heart are both empty? As you do that, I pray that God will help you to see that person with His eyes and be encouraged not just that you saved someone’s life, but that someone was given the eternal hope and truth of Christ Jesus. Your gift is a gift of love!