A Fool for the Lord

So all has been revealed.  We had suspicions that we were being betrayed by the man we tried to serve, and those suspicions proved correct when our van, our laptop, and the man in question were both gone this morning.  Rather than celebrating the end of our debts and the purchase of a new home, which would have made it so much easier for us to serve others, we find ourselves once again struggling to pay rent and make ends meet for the moment. Rather than being able to visit my grandmother who is ill and dying in California, we are unable to leave Elko until this situation is resolved.

We bought this man clothing, shoes, and food.  We treated him like family, and though we had suspicions that he might not be telling us the truth we didn't allow that to change how we treated him.  He made fools of us, but I take comfort in the knowledge that in this manner I can celebrate being like Christ.  You see, Christ has thousands of times over allowed me to make a fool of him.  Everytime I sin against Christ, I make a fool of Him. He shows me nothing but kindness, and I show him my worst. I praise God that He is not afraid to be made such a fool.

I praise God that Christ was willing to be made such a fool of himself that He who created all things would allow me and the rest of humanity to put Him on trial and then cruelly crucified Him.  If the worst that happens to me and my family is that our things are stolen, I consider myself fortunate to be able to repay through this small amount of suffering that great debt that I owe to Him, which would otherwise be due in eternity.  May God, who is all Good and all deserving of my love, have mercy on me.

I ask that you pray for this man, that he may have a Saul of Tarsis conversion and become a mighty sword in the hand of the Lord.  I ask that you pray for my husband, whose faith has been so shaken by this incident and whose heart is so troubled.  I ask that you pray for my foster children, whose hearts have been troubled by this man's example and who even now are contemplating revenge.  May they choose mercy instead.  Most of all, I ask that you pray for our family that we may continue to love and serve the Lord, willing to be made a fool for His sake no matter what the cost may be.