By Tom Stolle

Many around us are hurting. Many around us are struggling. Many around us are distressed. Many around us feel like they can’t go on. The world around us is a mission field. At the BCM/D, we believe that we are called to make an impact — a Missional Impact!

Maryland/Delaware Disaster Relief volunteers do an emergency roof repair for a family following severe storms. (Photo submitted)

We are surrounded by so much pain and suffering in our world that we can become numb to the suffering of others, treating it as if it’s just part of the world we live in. We can rationalize it by thinking things like “everyone suffers,” “the world isn’t perfect,” or even maybe “they deserve it due to bad choices.” Aren’t you glad that our God doesn’t view us that way? The Bible says in Psalm 145:8-9 (CSB), “The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and great in faithful love. The Lord is good to everyone; His compassion rests on all He has made.”Think about it. God NEVER becomes numb to all of the suffering. God acknowledges it. Scripture says His compassion rests on all He has made. In other words, His compassion lands on you and sits on you. His compassion sticks to you. If you think no one sees you, know that God sees you!

One of my favorite quotes is from Max Lucado’s, “Just Like Jesus,” where Max writes, “God loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus.”

God doesn’t want you to become numb to the suffering of others. God doesn’t want the suffering of others to become background noise. God wants all of us to do something about it. God wants us to love and serve the hurting. Loving and serving in the name of Jesus is one of the ways we become more like Jesus. God wants to use you to love and serve others in the name of Jesus!

We are to feed individuals affected by poverty. We are to visit individuals who are sick. We are to serve those affected by homelessness. We are to assist others affected by disasters. Any question about whether we are called to serve in this way is clearly addressed in Matthew 25:34-40 (CEV) by Jesus: Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘My father has blessed you! Come and receive the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world was created. When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me.’ Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, ‘When did we give you something to eat or drink? When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear or visit you while you were sick or in jail?’

The king will answer, “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.’”

A volunteer gives a woman diapers at Jessup Baptist Church’s Baby Pantry (Photo by Sharon Mager)

You can see from these verses God prioritizes acts of love and service. He wants us to have compassion and act on it.

Imagine if God didn’t show us compassion. Imagine if God said, “I see that all of humanity is separated from Me by sin, but I have no desire to alleviate that separation. They chose to sin. They are just getting what they deserve.”

But no, that’s not the position God took. God loved us so much that He performed the greatest act of compassion ever known. Jesus came, took on human flesh, suffered a brutal crucifixion, died, was buried, and rose again from the dead. Jesus defeated death, doing all of this because He had compassion for us.

He didn’t just see the problem of our sin and separation from God. Jesus solved the problem. He saw our distress. He never became numb to it. Jesus is the greatest fixer the world has ever known!

This is why we give. We give because Jesus gave. We give our love, our service, our help, our time, and whatever else we have because God calls us to be like Jesus.

God doesn’t need anything from us, yet He loved us so much that He made a way. There is nothing we can give God that He needs — NOTHING — yet God gave us his very best, not because of who we are but because of who He is.

For God so loved the world that he gave! We can’t give the gift of salvation, but we can bear witness to the one who can — Jesus!  That’s why I believe there is no greater compassion ministry than sharing Jesus with individuals who don’t know Him!

Consider this: Think about someone you know who has a disability. Now, mentally transition to this thought: Every person on this planet is actually born with a disability. Every. Single. Person. That disability is one of sin, and that separates us from God. The only way that disability can be cured is by the affected individual accepting Jesus. That makes evangelism, or in other words, sharing Jesus, the greatest compassion ministry ever known!

High tide members prepare for the church’s food pantry giveaway. (Photo courtesy of High Tide Church)

This is why at the BCM/D we are prioritizing our compassion ministry — what we call Missional Impact. Because we believe an individual is never more like God than when they give. God gave His son Jesus to save us when we were in distress. We should love and serve others in the name of Jesus, introducing those who are suffering to the one who will ultimately end all suffering!

Let’s be the hands and feet of Jesus. Let’s make an impact — a MISSIONAL IMPACT!

Tom Stolle serves as the BCM/D executive director. 

Feature photo: High Tide Baptist Church, Dagsboro, Delaware, seres their community through their food pantry