Just being honest

by Rockford Master's Commission

Rockford Masters Commission volunteers help Operation Blessing mud out and restore homes

Max RiveraBy
Max Rivera

I am going to be completely honest with you.

I woke up this morning at 6 a.m. and the last thing I wanted to do was go work. I am sick of the smell of mold and everything else. I don’t like being in a hot room with other sweaty people.

Sorry – it just doesn’t sound so great when I’m up and the sun’s not (but at least breakfast was delicious).

I got into the van and everyone else seemed so cheerful and thankful to go gut another house, so I ignored them by taking a nap.

Rockford Masters Commission volunteers help Operation Blessing mud out homes

We finally arrived at the house, and by the way it looked on the outside, I knew it was going to be interesting. Sure enough, as soon as we walked into the garage, spiders and other insects were everywhere.

And as soon as we walked in, there was a spider bigger than I have ever seen before, and I hate spiders. I thought to myself, if this spider is just chillin’ in the open, I don’t even want to see what’s behind the walls.

Homes damaged in the storm also have insects and spiders

So I went into this job with a horrible attitude. I mean this lady lost everything she had or had ever known. She had 3 daughters and her husband works countless hours at a factory to support their family.

They needed help and I was refusing to give it to them? I mean, I couldn’t look past some insects and give people a hand? Has my heart become so hard and out of alignment with the will of God?

Rockford Masters Commission volunteers help Operation Blessing mud out and restore homes

The answer is yes. I got so wrapped up in my world and my righteousness that I forgot the needs of others. And when God revealed that to me and I decided to love, everything else didn’t matter. Actually I forgot about it…weird.

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2 Responses to “Just being honest”

  1. Aaron Gourlie Says:

    I love it. Way to be honest! Yucky spider. Sick. Sick. sick. ha ha Jesus will throw in an extra crown for that. ha ha love you.

  2. Cora Marandino Says:

    Max, thanks for your honesty – as I sit here in my snug little home in the Bay Area, where aside from the occasional earthquake, we are pretty free of the extremities of weather that devastate other areas of the country I am blessed and convicted by your account … and exhorted by your decision to respond to the light the Spirit gave you on your attitude and obey His gentle reminder to just choose to love … a choice I can also make where God has placed me and the ones He gives me to love in the middle of their losses … so though our circumstances are so different, the choice is the same – walk in the flesh or walk in the Spirit …

    from a sister in Christ

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