The Heart of God Towards the Poor and SufferingSample

At Convoy of Hope, we have a Guest of Honor Principle. Each person we serve is very important and we desire to make it our highest priority to show them that they are honored. This means we roll out the proverbial red carpet and show them five-star treatment by treating them with dignity. It’s easy to walk the streets of America and ignore those in need. It’s easy, yes, but doesn't it numb us to the pain of others surrounding us? Each person you pass on the street is valuable and worth more than all of our possessions combined. Remember, Christ died on the cross for them too. It’s important that we realize when we serve others, we serve them with dignity and honor. If we do not, we miss such a big component to serving others. It’s not about just serving them a bag of groceries or a plate of hot food, but it’s eternally valuable if we do it with love and compassion with a desire to respect and honor them. Be challenged with the following testimony from a guest who attended a Convoy of Hope community outreach: “Upon exiting an outreach site, a guest stopped a volunteer and spoke with him for about 15 minutes concerning her experience. She kept thanking him for not treating her like dirt. She shared that in the past she had attended free events similar to ours, but the difference was she walked away from the others feeling embarrassed and humiliated. She said, ‘Not so today. You guys made me feel like a champion.’ She was impressed that she was walking away with her girls having received free haircuts, having a great time in the Kids Zone and free bags of groceries. And the entire time she was not made to feel like a second-class citizen.” What is your reaction when you see someone in need and how do you respond to them? Be challenged in your encounters with those who may seem dirty and different to extend dignity and respect. Roll out the red carpet and treat them as a “guest of honor.”