To Bless or Be Blessed?

Many of my friends who have travelled with me to visit orphans have said that they went to be a blessing but returned feeling that they were the ones who were blessed. I have felt that myself but never so much as after this trip. I felt like our entire time in Russia was like a party. Not a party that leaves you with regret and a headache the next morning, but a party that as you remember it your heart fills with warmth and with thanksgiving. It's the kind of party that you feel good about, that you want to return to and experience all over again.

My daughters and I were discussing parts of our trip last night. We were looking at pictures and remembering the kids we met and missing the ones we know. We laughed and we were experiencing blessing just thinking about our time there.

The kids we visited really have nothing to give us. That's one of the reasons I keep going. There's something so innocent about an orphan who comes to you, looks into your eyes and says "Spaseebo" (Thank You). That's really all he has to give and it blesses my heart beyond anything that I can buy or earn. I'm always baffled by how much I get blessed from a trip like this. I ask "Is this the way it's supposed to work?"

The blessing that comes from visiting these kids is intended. 

There's a scene in Luke that sheds some light on this phenomenon.

Jesus is eating at a very important man's house and He was addressing honor, how to give it and how to get it. 

Often parties are filled with the VIPs, in-fact the more important the people are that you get to come to your party the more important you are. Right?

Listen to what Jesus says. "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." Luke 14:12-14

As we were getting ready to leave the girls we took to St. Petersburg, one of them, Masha (who is just so sweet) said, "Kevin, Harrell, thank you for bringing us here, somewhere we probably would have never been able to visit." The rest of them agreed and thanked us. We hugged them and watched them leave. 

I was all warm inside and we were at peace. Blessed.

Thank you for following along on our journey this past 10 days. I hope it blessed you enough to throw a party.