Saving Love, Hope, and A Child

Roger, a short and squat boy, rides his bike around his sun-dried brick house as he awaits his mother. His brown narrow eyes stare at the ground as he pedals. He is alone, the only child in his family, yet he still likes riding his bike by himself. The faster he pedals, the faster the air moves, giving him some relief from the midday heat. The six-year-old just finished watering the plants around the house, his daily chore, and his aunt told him he could ride for a while. His stomach grumbles, like most in his Honduras village, but he keeps pedaling forward.  This is how I like to imagine Roger, my sponsored child.

Last August I was looking at the World Vision site, just flipping through the pages and pages of children who were yet to be sponsored. I had heard that World Vision donated money to foreign countries to provide for basic needs, such as nutrition, education, and safety, but didn’t know much about it, except that I wanted to sponsor a child.

With a college student’s budget, I felt very limited when it came to giving financially. All the money in my account was from years of saved birthday and summer job money. I knew that saving that money could mean getting a car, paying off loans, or just starting a future, yet I felt like God was calling me towards other objectives.

As I looked through the pages of children, I began to pray about whether I was truly being called to sponsor. I flipped through my Bible and began to read Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 and Isaiah 41: 13. Even as I found different passages that gave me confidence, I still gave myself another day to think and pray. The next day, I was even more convinced that God was calling me to sponsor. As soon as I clicked, “Sponsor Roger today,” I felt instantly transformed.

Giving didn’t solely impact Roger but also impacted me. I began to pray for Roger daily, hoping that his living situation increased, and as a result, I deepened my love for people. Before I sponsored Roger, I wasn’t always inclined to speak with God daily, but Roger gave me motivation to care about prayer. Just as God placed me in Roger’s life to help him, Roger was placed in my life to help me with my faith.

Loving others means giving to those in need, whether financial, emotional or physical need. We are called to lead a life of servitude to God, as well as those around us. God created all of us uniquely; therefore we have unique gifts to offer the world, allowing us to reach as many people as possible. It can be as small as smiling at someone that looks upset, or giving a compliment. But as Christians, we should actively look out for those who need Christ’s love. Please watch the video below.

There are people around us just like Hannah. People that need someone to care, someone to love them. They need Christ and people that care enough to pray about them.

Please read 2 Corinthians 9: 7-15, Matthew 20:26-28 and 25:35-36; 40. Think about those around you, at school, work, or in passing. Who is in need? How can you fulfill that need? Pray about what you can do to help that person/group of people. Please end in a personal prayer or the one below.

Dear God, I thank You for all You provide for me. I ask you to break my heart with what breaks Your heart. Open my eyes to those who need help, who need You. Give me the courage to reach out to them. Lord, give me a servant’s heart so that I reflect Your love and grace. In Your heavenly name. Amen. 

*Don’t forget to comment about the devotion, any personal experiences you’d like to share, prayer requests, or updates about how you reached out to someone this week. Thanks!