Faithful Finisher

I have to confess, when I first saw her, my heart fell. Not because of her. Because of me. 

I knew she was coming to ask for medical help for her son. Again. And I wasn't sure I had the time, money, and energy to help her. 

Her son was born with hypospadias, a problem that can be resolved with multiple surgeries. We had already helped him have three corrective surgeries, and now I knew it was time for the fourth, but I couldn't help but silently ask how many it was going to take...because this stuff is not cheap. 

I graciously told her that I needed time to think and pray about it and that I would get back to her as soon as possible. 

I prayed about it once, and I kept thinking about how we can't literally help everybody and how we need to learn to say no. We've already helped is kid here times. Plus his mom says he is doing fine; he doctor just thinks he needs one more surgery to wrap everything up. It's not a life or death situation. If there was ever a time to say no, this was it. 

A few days later, I was just about to call the mother and give her my best "sorry we can't help you right now" speech, but it just wasn't settling well with me. 

Then I realized that I had been looking for every reason to say no instead of searching out a way to say yes. That's not how our God works. That's not how he loves us. He doesn't look for a reason to shake us off when he is tired; he passionately seeks ways to grab our attention by saying yes. 

So I started praying again, and this time I really sought God instead of just confessing my weariness. I believe that everything that happens is an opportunity to share the gospel, so I began to ask the Lord, "How can I share the gospel in this situation?" 

I began hearing things: I don't abandon my children. I don't get tired. I don't run out of resources. I finish what I begin. Show this family that I finish what I begin. 

If I quit on them now, what would I be showing them about God? But if I followed through until the end, even if I didn't know where the means would come from, I could demonstrate the faithfulness of Christ to finish what he begins and to never abandon his children. 

I called up the mother and invited her to have tea at my new house. While we waited for the water to boil, I sat down next to her on the couch and explained the truth. 

"When I first saw you, I was discouraged in my heart because I thought I didn't have what it takes to help you this time," I said. "I have to tell you the truth. If I didn't believe God right now, I would have to tell you no. I would tell you that our program is already full and we don't have enough money to help. But I have prayed, and I believe God wants you to know that he finishes what he begins. He has started a good work in your son, and he will carry it to completion. He doesn't abandon his children. So we are going to walk forward in faith and trust God to provide the money, time, energy, and everything else we need." 

That tea tasted so sweet as we sipped it together. 

When meeting with our national team earlier that morning, I shared what I believed God was telling me to do for the little boy and asked them to pray for this situation. Rebeca's face lit up as she remembered the child and his mother, for it was her who first brought them to us. "That is an exceptional little boy," she said. "And God will do someone great." She then shook her head as her face fell. She was remembering, contemplating, as she said, "His mother was truly a woman who had lost hope." In the silence that followed, you could see the sadness turn into joyful realization as she recalled how we have helped and how we are not giving up. She didn't need words to say it, and everyone at the table saw the transformation on her face. Not anymore, it said. A woman who was once hopeless had been given the gift of hope.  

It was no wonder then that as I prayed with the mother before she left and invited her to take something from the "take what you need" wall, she chose hope. 

Maybe this is a story about how I can't say no. 

Or maybe this is a story about how our God says yes.