RESCUE: What is it?

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” (Matthew 25:35-36)

Rescue matches the heart of God.  Look at Jesus’ words above.  Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, invite the stranger in, clothe the naked, visit the sick as well as those in prison.  We have the privilege of doing all these things at the UGM Crisis Shelter every day.  But our work goes beyond physical needs.

Today people are spiritually starving.  I remember being surprised one day when an adult woman asked in all honesty, “Who is Goliath?”  Another situation occurred when I was talking about the book of Acts.  The person to whom I was talking looked confused.  I mentioned that Acts was a book in the Bible.  She said she thought that the Bible was a book.  The ladies who come to the Shelter routinely look to astrology, witchcraft, cult worship, self-worship and all manner of false gods – practices our culture has refused to acknowledge as sin.  As a result, most people are doing what seems right in their own eyes.  One guest didn’t understand what values were, much less what role they might play in her life.  Feeding the hungry goes way beyond physical food.

Give drink to the thirsty.  Where we might give bottled water to those who are thirsty, what they often need is the opportunity to hope again.  Life without hope is very dry.  A woman or child in survival mode can only look at the immediate need right in front of her. We were designed to experience life with all 5 senses: sight, sound, taste, touch and smell all at the same time.  Life should be filled with zest and joy.  However, many of our guests are stuck on one color, one sound, one sight. Part of our work is to open their eyes and ears and help them experience life more fully.  Giving water to the thirsty is so much more than water.

Loneliness pervades our community!  I have become convinced that if we could solve the problem of loneliness, our shelters would not be needed.  Most of the ladies who come to 1234 E Sprague Ave. need someone to visit them and get to know them.  One of our greatest needs as humans is to be deeply and truly known by someone.  However, fear of rejection often keeps us from entering into the very relationships we crave most.  The church was designed to meet this need.  Inviting in the stranger can change our community and cure the most serious calamity society has ever known.

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:37-40)

Zig Ziglar once said: "If you treat everyone as though they are hurting, you will be treating the majority of people in the proper manner.”

Meeting people who are in tragic and critical situations like prison or serious illness can be an uncomfortable place to be.  Their tragedy makes us feel fearful and mortal. But touching hurting hearts, while keeping us humble, also allows us to touch the heart of God.  Jesus was the wounded healer who knows all our sorrows.  You don’t even need to go to a prison or a hospital to accomplish this remarkable task.  At the shelter, we routinely get to see those who are imprisoned in abusive relationships, sinful lifestyles and sick with addiction. 

The most amazing part of this adventure is that, when we reach out to the hurting and broken, we are actually meeting with Jesus.  His favorite place to hang out is with the least of our society.  If you want to find Jesus, come on down to the Crisis Shelter. He’s waiting here for you.

~ Rich Schaus, Director of the UGM Crisis Shelter for Women & Children