Comfortable? Is that God’s goal for us?

I was thinking about how far we have come, and how things have changed over my lifetime. For example,

Camping—from under the stars, to a tent, to a pop-up, then a motorhome, a fifth-wheel, a luxury coach and now “glamping”

Gas station bathrooms—from a key on a paddle for a door out back, to indoor, to handicapped accessible, automatic flush, jet-stream hand dryers, and now Buccee’s mall of toilets

Do I even need to mention coffee?

Beds— from only twin or double, to queen/king, to pillow-top, then Tempra-pedic and Sleep Number, to inclining, heated, and massaging mattresses

Homes— from tepees and log cabins, to indoor plumbing, to a 3 BR 2BA, to a master bedroom with ensuite, and then a second home/lake house (And I’m not judging. I’m building a swimming pool as we speak.)

But, when are we comfortable enough? Should we wait until everyone has a first home before we get a second? Should we not get a second car until everyone has a first? And what about food?

I often have these convos in my head when driving back from Juarez, Mexico. Especially since this trip I visited a squatters’ village of hundreds of pallet/cardboard/tarp shacks with dirt floors. The owner of the property sent a front man to negotiate with them on a price and terms for the tiny lots, maybe 10’ x 15’. He also collected money from the residents to purchase waterline and a faucet for about every tenth house plus cable to bootleg electric lines for one outlet per shack. The residents dug the trenches and strung the cable themselves. They are so hopeful that one day they will have their own little piece of land. One day God will open that door.

When we asked them what their greatest need is, they quickly said the deed to the property. Second to that answer was tarps. We decided the best solution was to drive back across the border to the nearest Walmart early the next morning. We bought all their tarps, 16, and food enough for 20 bags to include tuna, canned veggie mix, crackers, Ramen noodles, and refried beans.

We returned to the site with the purchases plus a box of books and new pencils. The joy was palpable. The praise to God was so loud. Then a lady grabbed me and said, “Let’s pray.” Everyone spontaneously prayed at the same time, praising God for the blessings of the day. They were exploding with gratitude for a can of tuna and a tarp.

I am so humbled to walk among these people of such great faith. When do we stop to give thanks for the new espresso coffee maker? Or do we complain because it takes too long.

Help us, Lord, to be a thankful people, a people full of faith. Thank you for what we can learn from the least of these. Open our eyes and our hearts to see it. Let us not seek to be more comfortable, but to be more grateful. Show us how to live like the least of these. Amen.