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A woman in our church was tragically killed when she was struck by a commuter train. She was a single parent and left a 14-year-old son with no home and no means of support.
What was to become of the young teen? He wanted to live in his familiar neighbourhood and to attend school with his friends. He especially wanted to fulfill his mother's last wish: that he live with a family from our church.
But how? Relatives and close church friends were ready to assist financially. But who could suddenly adjust their family life in order to take in a kid on the brink of his high school years? For families with little kids, it would mean gearing up for a totally new world. For couples or single parents who were already struggling with a teenager at home, another one could be the last straw. Older couples might have the needed experience, but what a readjustment to do it all over again!
At this time, I was taking a course called "What'cha Gonna Do with What'cha Got?" by James Jackson, a Christian economist. In the course, Jackson emphasizes the importance of taking a personal inventory of one's possessions. He especially encourages looking beyond mere financial assets. Through the course, I was challenged by studying the apostle Peter's example when he met the crippled beggar outside the Temple. "Silver or gold I do not have," Peter said, "but what I have I give you" (Acts 3:6). Then he healed the man.
Like Peter, our family is not financially wealthy. We've never had the privilege of giving much more than our tithe to finance Christian ministry or to relieve world suffering. But when I took inventory of what we possessed, there was one area of wealth that really stood out--God has given us a great family. Our son is graduating from high school this year, and our daughter is entering junior high.
God doesn't require us to give what we don't have, but today I realize we have a lot. I wonder if God might want us to open our home to this young man.
<I>Dave Jackson is a freelance writer from Evanston, Ill.
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