Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cold outside this morning and venturing out to snap a photo was as much pain as I’m willing to endure until I bundle up. I was outside long enough to capture this image though, and it took my breath away. The sun was rising in the east, and reflecting in the west before I could even see the sun itself. Just the color FROM the sun added beauty to the dark world and it didn’t even take much light to add Warmth. As I met with the Living God in the warmth of my home, I began to weep for those so much less fortunate than I am… those left out in the cold in more ways than one. It’s one thing to be cold and hungry – it’s an entirely different story to be Lost. Sometimes when I close my eyes, I can see cold people, lost people, sick people, and poor people all around, and the image overwhelms me. Except for the honor of praying for them and doing my small part to attempt to change their lives…I’m powerless. But I know Who brings the warmth. I Know the Miracle Maker and I know the Provider very well, and I know that He has a Plan through it all…even when I don’t understand it and even when it hurts. Isn’t that the way you see it too?

It could be so easy to ignore the pain in the world or to consider it somebody else’s problem if not for having a Christ-like heart. It would be so easy to convince ourselves that we’re Reflecting Light from the Son just by our mere existence and that there is no need to take action at all. But the Bible says, “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us” so apparently it’s a big deal to a Big God who Commands us to “not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up”. When we strive to have a Heart like Christ, we begin to Experience genuine Compassion, and we no longer have just fleeting moments of feeling sorry for people, we hurt for them instead and before you know it, the beautiful Warmth of our Faith shines over their lives like the sun on the trees this morning.

I’m heading into this cold new year with more blessings than any human deserves. I understand where I’ve been and how far I’ve come. I understand that God used my own pain and poverty to tenderize my heart, and I understand that “there is no good thing in me apart from Him.” I am a child of the King and I’m humbled to be found worthy to do a little Work in His Name.

I have a place Reserved for me in Heaven when I leave this temporary home and I’ll have an Everlasting Life with my loved ones who were born-again Believers too. I have a family that is so close and so filled with love that it defies logic, AND they’re all healthy and strong. I have a Purpose that was Divinely Designed just for me and I understand what I need to do to Fulfill it.

I have a warm home and a warmer Heart and every day I strive to have a Heart like Christ. I want people to look at my Life and see the Warmth of the Son Reflecting over me as surely as I see it on the trees this morning. I want the kind of Heart that hurts over the pain of another, and the kind that wants to do something about it if I can. The kind that NEVER overlooks the honor it is to be able to stand before the Throne of a Mighty God on behalf of someone else…the kind of Heart that knows I’m NOT getting what I deserve because Jesus already paid the price for me.

How about you?

If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 1 John 3:17