For many of you in the Northern Hemisphere, the outreach season is over and the fall school schedule has begun. Memories of the summer are beginning to fade. What if God had seasons of outreach in His relationship with us?

Every day when I take the ferry to our Gateway Services Asia office in Hong Kong, I pass through the International Finance Center, not too different from the temple of worship in Jesus day. There on the walkway just outside the glistening arcades with all the brand names like Gucci, Prada and Tiffany's lies an old crippled woman huddled over her coin cup.

One shopping bag alone, minus its contents, moving swiftly past her eye level, costs more to design and produce than she takes in during an entire year of begging. Besides, her daily yield is roughly taken away from her by a cruel tyrant as she is rudely kicked aside.

How does Jesus view this woman and the countless others like her trapped in similar situations throughtout the cities of our world? Does He wait until outreach season to show He cares?

When our youngest was starting college, my husband and I were excited about taking her out for an elegant dinner to celebrate her accomplishments.  We had selected a lovely table in the Gas Lamp district in downtown San Diego.  On the way, we passed a homeless man, disheveled and broken, his outstretched hand blocking our path.  We brushed aside and hurried towards our table.  As we took our seats, we realized that Andrea was no longer with us.  As we retraced our steps, we found her with the homeless man emptying the contents of her purse into his weather beaten hand.

As the disciples Peter and John passed the man lying lame by the temple, Peter reached out to him and said: " Silver and Gold have I none but such as I have give I thee, in the name of Jesus Christ rise up and walk." Acts 3: 1-6

Could it be that one of the reasons we pass by hurting people is that we don't really believe that we can make a difference?  Could that also be bcause we are expecting the change to come from ourselves rather from the Lord Jesus?

One of the songs that has challenged me the most in this regard was written by our son Joshua.  It's called: "Hollow" and I highly recommend it to you.  Some of the lyrics are:

"You go to the Roman Cathedral drinking your bread and wine, but maybe Jesus will pass by!"

Every time I see my crippled older lady friend now, I stop and pray for her or buy her a drink or bring her a bowl of soup.  My prayer is that she will know that Jesus has stopped by.

Be alert in season and out of season -"II Timothy 2:2

Your friend,

Carol Kauffman