Lessons from the Heart of Africa: Significant life

African wildflowers

I sat in the village today, inside a twelve-by-six reed hut. Emily and I had come to give out vitamins to all the children and nursing mothers. We also brought another food packet for Julia and more formula for the twins.

After handing out the vitamins, the women started singing and as I listened I was reminded about a passage in Matthew 6.

Jesus said, "If God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you."

With one of little boys, Silva, nestled against me in my lap, I looked around at each of the women and their children sitting on the dirt floor and thought about how much God cares for them. How much he loves each one of them, understands their hurts, and how important their lives are to Him.

 They don't have material possessions. They don't have electricity or running water, and life is hard. But God cares for them and sees each life as significant.

I was reminded about how God prompted people to give financially, so we could in turn supply Julia with food packets and her twins with formula. I thought about the blessing in how we were able to provide a village with vitamins to help ensure that their children grow strong. And I was moved by the smiles on their faces and the joy in their singing, and the fact that God had brought us all together.

How many of my own worries do I try to take on for myself? Jesus had the answer. He simply said, don't worry. Trust in me because I care for you.

Will life be perfect? No. Easy? Not always. But I want to learn to leave my burdens at the foot of the cross. To fully believe that He cares about every one of my concerns. And then in turn to let God use me  however He chooses.

It's worth repeating. "If my God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you."

Every life--every individual--is significant in God's eyes.

Be a blessing,

Lisa