How do you put love into a Ziploc bag? All it takes is a bottle of water, a tuna snack, a granola bar, a fruit cup, a pair of socks (yes, a fresh, clean pair of socks), and a hand-made ‘love note’. Oh, and LOTS of consistency…

This is exactly what the young adults that I work with have been doing all summer. Challenged by our ‘get uncomfortable‘ movement, it started out as an evening of taking our time usually used for Bible study to the streets of downtown Sarasota. The first night we simply walked, prayed and watched. Afterwards my question to them each week was simple…   “What did you see?” The vision and responses to that question continued to grow steadily each week, and now I believe that some members are really finding their calling in life.

These days much of the ministry that we do downtown is through giving ‘love bags’ to the homeless. Many of us have been amazed at how a pair of socks and a heart-felt note saying that we love them and are thinking and praying for them have really blessed the people that we’ve encountered. Moved by this time, the group has put together a little video that I wanted to share with my readers here. Check it out…

[youtube CHo4YeisX44 Video :: Reaching Out in the Name of Love]

I have been thinking a lot about this, and how this time has impacted my life. I can probably honestly say that as recent as six months to a year ago if you had asked me to volunteer for homeless ministry, I would have said no. But after this experience I cannot comprehend the idea of being a Christian and not doing stuff like this. I don’t know that it is specifically homeless ministry, but I do believe that Christians are more in their element when they are outside the church meeting people’s needs, physical as well as spiritual.

So my challenge to you is this…   Start small. Go somewhere. Do something. But most importantly look at the world around you and ask yourself, “what did I see?” Think about where you think Jesus would be hanging out if He were there. Then take it wherever you think that God would want you to take it.