Rich Dixon reminds me of my own words in a helpful way.

+++

Jon said something last week that I found comforting and reassuring.

Jesus doesn’t say, “Don’t have a picnic, give your food to the foodbank.” We might think that would be the best use of resources. Instead, Jesus says, have your parties, your events, your celebrations, your feast. Put the energy into planning. Do the cooking and decorating. Do everything the same as now, as well as you can.

When we do the FREEDOM TOUR CLASSIC, there’s always a big celebration at the end. Plenty of food. Big tents. Decorations. Lots of time and energy devoted to bringing people together to celebrate hope and freedom for kids rescued from human trafficking.

And I always feel secretly a little guilty about all of it. A part of me thinks we ought to be devoting those resources to the kids rather than a party.

Thinking like that, I forget that the celebration isn’t about food and tents and decorations. I forget that we’re there to serve the riders and volunteers as well as the kids. I forget that community matters a great deal to them, more than food and riding bikes.

I forget my own words. We are a COMMUNITY dedicated to supporting the kids at the Home of Hope. We do what we can, with what we have, and trust Jesus for the outcome.

I forget that Jesus uses and multiplies our efforts in ways we can’t possibly understand and will never see. I begin to think it’s all up to me to guard and hoard every penny and feel guilty about anything that reeks of extravagance.

The question, of course, ought to be – Are we inviting the right people?

Not just the people who can help us make the bike ride successful, but the folks who need to be part of this sort of community. The folks who need a T-shirt, to feel like they are part of something.

And perhaps – this little parable isn’t just about bike rides.