"This my brotha"

I visited some of my kids from church today at North Elementary. One young girl had asked me to eat lunch with her again. I was standing in line with the young black girl with my hands in my pocket. She was leaning against me, head laid on my side and her arm hooked over mine. We waiting for our turn to pass through when her classmate turns around and asked who i was. She didnt say anything so he asked,"Is that your uncle?" Very animated, she responded, "I ain't got no white uncle!" So he asked again and after smacking her lips she said, "this my brotha." I just smiled. This is the same girl i blogged about Monday, September 20, 2010

Last year at Earl Bradsher when visiting Kashawn he told his classmates when asked who I was, "This my daddy." They are now in Kindergarden and several of the kids when I come say. "There's Kashawn's daddy." I just smile. I don't mind.

With the state of most families or lack there of, many kids are left in need of more love. Even some of them who have a parent and perhaps two might still fit that label of "orphans" from James 1:27. It reads:

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."

I know that taking Jesus serious to "take up my cross daily" left me spending my one day of the week that I could do what I wanted and spending it on some kids. Jesus command was very proactive when he said

"You shall love your neighbor as yourself ”

Going through James has caused me to see how well I love myself. I'm quite good at it. I spoil myself regularly.

The question we need to ask ourselves are we responding to Jesus with action? I'm not sure this meant that we start attending church or go to seminary. That we start reading the right trendy books or know all the big name pastors. That we build for ourselves a tight christian bubble. Its a call to action. To love and to love sacrificially. Like me, the blessing will be yours, not theirs.