Loving One of the Populace

In the story A Little Princess, young Sara Crewe was one day wrongfully scolded and had her meals kept from her and made to go run many errands through the wet, cold, muddy streets of London with the poorest of clothes and shoes. Her mind was fixed on her hunger, but she was trying not to let it. Then she saw in the gutter a four pence, and right across the street a baker's shop. She was almost up the stairs and through the door when she saw a little girl standing out in the rain unprotected and more poorly clothed than she. She asked her if she was hungry, and the little girl told her she didn't remember when she last ate, it had been so long. "This is one of the populace," she said to herself. Sara went into the bakers, and asked the tending woman if she had lost a four pence, and she said no, but the woman could see the hunger in her eyes. She had a little pity on Sara, and gave her two extra rolls besides the four Sara bought. But to her amazement, she saw Sara go out and give five of the rolls to the little girl outside the door. She knew Sara was hungry. Why would she give almost all her food away?

The woman felt convicted by Sara's charity and sacrifice, and seeing how much she had to offer, she then called the little girl into the shop and told her that whenever she was hungry to come to her for food and a sat her by the warm fire.

Their is something very powerful about love, especially when the sacrifice that goes with it is a difficult or painful sacrifice. When one complains the least bit while showing compassion, it takes away from the deed because that person kept part of it for himself in voicing his complaint. When we give without any chance of repayment or even acknowledgement, it means so much more. It blesses not only the receiver, but also the giver, and fills one with more joy than one would ever expect.

Jesus said to not seek recognition or reward when blessing others or doing good, because you will forfeit your eternal reward for the pat on the back of the moment. I think that part of the eternal reward is also how it changes you to give in a way that you get no credit. It is purifying to show kindness without expecting or wanting something in return. It is like a servant who goes and gives a basket of food to a family, and the proud father says they don't need it, but the servant says that they must take it for the master said to give it to them and them only, so they take it because it was intended for them by some unknown important figure. God is our Master and He has called us to share and to give as He leads us.

If you have been bought out of sin by the sacrifice of Christ, then you are a royal child of the Living and eternal Creator God. You are royalty! We must remember that God does not call the lost to live as good of lives as they can so that He might find favor with them. No! He can only commission those whom He owns to do His work, and the lost are His work. He is a mystery to the lost world - a God who would sacrifice His own Son for people who hate Him - a God who does truly love them and is not out to get them - a God who wants to adopt them and give them favor they could never earn! They do not understand a God like that, but He draws them to Himself when His own children show that kind of love, even to those who hate them.

The lost are the populace - blind led by the blind and sheep with no shepherd. Have pity on them, and do not be afraid of sacrifice. The time is coming when our money will be worth nothing and our possessions worthless. Do not trust your wealth or the promise of it. Trust God who can make a dollar have the purchase power of a thousand and who can provide for all your needs.