Best Poker Face Ever

Last night I met with the pastor of Primera Iglesia, a mission church started by the church where I am a pastor. It was an eye opening night to say the least. When we first sat down I told him that I thought the partnership between our churches should be better because the Bible tells us that unity of believers will be our witness to the world (John 17). I told him I was sorry that it had taken me two weeks to call him, to which he replied: "I am glad you called, I was beginning to think no one cared about what was going on at the Mexican church." That in itself broke my heart. We spent the next 45 mins. discussing things we could do to have better community with one another. We decided to set a time to get together and pray. Not just him and me getting together to pray, but opening it up for everyone in the church to come and participate. The next thing we did was drive around town. I have to admit, I have been here two weeks and have barely gone one or two blocks in either direction. He wanted to show me this place called "Little Mexico." Little did I know that God would use this to show me just how much I need to learn about loving like he does.

The first place we came to was a small house with two families of 4 living together. Beside the house was a trailer that was in the construction "process." I say "process" because work had been stalled for a couple years. To get to this house we had to walk through a mine field of horse manure where it was impossible to not step in something. This is where I put on my greatest poker face. I acted like it didn't bother me, all the while in my mind thinking of how disgusting it was, and I was going to drag this stuff back through my house when I got home. As much as I tried to get rid of that thought, it was the only thing I could think of. It was the best poker face ever.

As we went into the trailer to see what work needed to be done, the pastor spoke to this guy telling him how great of a vision I had to reach Chilton (this was all in Spanish as the owner of the house didn't speak English). With every compliment I felt smaller and smaller. Yet I held the best poker face ever.

The thing that broke my heart the most though was the look the guy made when we told the guy that we wanted to help him finish his house. It needed no translation. It said, "I have heard that one before and mainly from you Christians."

On the way back to my house, the pastor said that this, "Little Mexico" formed because these people feel like no one cares about them so they withdrew from everyone and never venture on the other side of town. My heart broke for these people. My heart broke for the people of my church. My heart broke for Christians all over the United States who seem to have cast the poor off as unreachable and not worthy. Then my God broke my heart and I thought of how I was no different. On the outside I had the best poker face ever, on the inside though I just wanted to go home. May the Holy Spirit transform my heart to love like Jesus.

My prayer is that we become the church that makes people feel valuable again, that hugs the homeless, feeds the hungry, and share the love of Jesus by DOING what Jesus did. The last thing the pastor said to me last night, is what I leave you with: "People know all the stories about Jesus, they need to start seeing Christians helping them if something is ever going to happen with them spiritually."