A Shard from Lebanon

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25‬:‭35‬-‭36‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Relentless pursuit would have to be the life motto of the church in Lebanon. What a beautiful reflection of Christ shining through these people!

As you are probably aware, there’s a lot of unrest in the Middle East. Wars and rumors of wars have plagued this part of the world for an eternity. The Muslim majority in many of these nations adds another level of stress to the less than 2% of people who are Christians. Additionally, thousands of Syrian and Palestinian refugees have crossed into Lebanon, bringing their much less tolerant beliefs with them. All of these factors plus a million more would make it easy and even understandable for Christians in this region to keep their heads low and mind their own business.

But that is not what Jesus calls us to do! We are not to hide our lights under a bushel! And here in Lebanon, they are boldly shining the light! Not only to their Lebanese neighbors, but also to those seeking refuge in their cities. Again demonstrating relentless pursuit.

The church is built over a massive warehouse where they feed and clothe the refugee community. Upstairs is a school where they provide a Christ-centered education to children. They have a small clinic attached where they can care for the sick. And inside their church, they host numerous bible studies and church services in multiple languages throughout the week!

In the week we were there, they also brought us members from the refugee community who they had been visiting and knew needed the clinic most. How did they know who needed it? Because they are constantly in that camp, loving on the people and creating relationships with them. They knew they were sick, because they knew them.

It’s that relentless pursuit again. They have created communities to welcome in those who have been kicked out of their own. When the refugees are hungry, they feed them. When they are cold, they clothe them, when they are sick, they care for them, when they are alone, they welcome them in.

One statement I overheard at dinner one night got me in my core. They were talking about how the situation has gotten worse in some areas despite Syria technically coming out of a period of civil war. People who were packing up and getting ready to leave the camps to return home suddenly couldn’t anymore. And one of my teammates mused that it must be so heartbreaking to watch them not be able to return home. Our host emphatically shook his head and said:

“It is Good that they’re stuck here because that means that we can minister to them longer.”

As I reflect on my short time with my brothers and sisters, I am in awe of their commitment to love the least of these all the way to the foot of the cross. I can see Jesus smiling through them as they follow His commandments with such passion. And I want to be more like them, reflecting Jesus in the way I relentlessly pursue those that others may choose to ignore.

“He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.” Deuteronomy 10:18