community

May 19, 2005

extreme makeover: home edition has quickly become my favourite tv show. so far i've only seen three episodes, two of which have been two-hour specials. those two-hour specials are especially great because you get more of a chance to see the emotions, thoughts and actions from all the parties involved. this show is such a beautiful example of the what could be. could you imagine what it'd be like if communities were to come around the hurting amongst them, to support and love them in the name of Christ? do we even know what that's like?

what particularly struck me about the episode on sunday, was just how loving, supportive and caring the community was to the family. the family was one father and his three little kids, all of whom were very, very young. his wife had passed away suddenly, about seven months prior to the show's airing. it was a really trying time for the family, especially for the father. suddenly he had to take care of his kids and work to support his family, all on his own. i can't imagine what it'd be like for him, but i do know what it's like to lose someone unexpectedly. i could totally relate with him when he was sharing about his struggles and hard it had been for him. it brought me to tears watching how hard this guy was trying to make it for his family and how strong he was trying to be. now that i think about it, it was like i was watching myself.

pain and suffering has a way of opening/closing your heart. through everything that i've gone through, i think God has begun to cultivate in me a more open heart, an empathetic heart. every time i watch this show, my heart breaks for the suffering and hurt that the families go through and it also rejoices with them. i cry every episode: both tears of sadness and tears of joy. another reason why i love this show so much is because of the hope it gives. that makes me so ecstatic (aka. tears of joy). i'm thrilled to see these families have hope brought back into their lives. hope is what keeps us going. it's what gives us something to strive for, something to live for.

back to the episode. the design team decided to hold a fundraising concert for the family. i did not expect what i saw. some people in the community had already begun to figure out how to help this family out: a group of business people came together and gave a cheque of $75,000 while another group came up with $25,000. both were presented that night. $50,000 was raised the night of the concert. in sum, the entire community rallied together and raised $150,000 for the family that night. they also wanted to support the family in any way they could, offering things like free baby sitting, groceries, car washes, etc., anything that could help make life easier for them. i was floored. i couldn't believe how loving, how generous, how supportive this ENTIRE community was for this one family. it's not normal. this community, was living like they were the early church in acts, "there were no needy persons among them. for from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need" (acts 4:34-35 [NIV]).

if only... if only the modern church got that. if only the modern church could wrap their hearts around that. what a different place this would be. lives would be changed. the world would be transformed. God's name would be glorified. His name would be prized above all names. isn't that what the church is all about? isn't that why we exist? to be a beacon of light in the darkness? to proclaim the love of Christ to all peoples?

love is manifested through action. and i hope and pray, that one day, i will (with my own two eyes) see the church living the way it was meant to be.

Posted by Leo Chan at May 19, 2005 10:00 AM