«And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me’ » (Matthew 25:40).
I pause to keep the memory in my mind as if it were a photo. I close my eyes to fix every detail: their bare feet on the red earth; their smiles, radiating almost as much energy as the inclement African sun; their voices, repeating in unison: «Siyabonga!» [Thank you!] Where am l? In Swaziland, a small country, with no exit to the sea, in the south part of the African continent.
Each year, the ADRA team in England coordinates a collection to benefit a developing country. In February 2016, I had the privilege of joining the volunteer group and spending ten days in Swaziland, distributing the donations. It was an unforgettable experience! There are 1.3 million people who live in Swaziland. Sadly, a third of the adult population has AIDS. As a result, nearly 75,000 children have been orphaned. In order to distribute the donations, we visit schools, orphanages, and churches. In each place, we saw the children’s eyes light up as we opened the boxes of gifts and donations. As they put the boxes on their heads for the journey, we heard them sing with joy: Akekho ofana nojesu, akekho ofana naye . . .» [There is no one like Jesus, none like Him .
But there was music not only on their lips, but also in our hearts and in heaven. In Welfare Ministry, Ellen G. White wrote that «every act of justice, mercy, and benevolence makes melody in heaven.»—ch. 42, p. 314. Imagine! Every human being can be a member of God’s universal orchestra. Even if you are off pitch when you sing or never studied music theory, your actions can generate beautiful heavenly music. However, that’s not all! Our hearts tend to be in tune with the generosity (harmony) or selfishness (noise) of our actions. Unselfishness, respect, and generosity make us vibrate on the same frequency of heaven. We are like a string that vibrates out of sympathy because it is very close to another pulsating string.
When we serve others and put their needs first, we come so close to the principles of heaven that our hearts are flooded with heavenly music.
Dear Lord, free me from being indifferent and selfish.
I don’t want to live life as if it were just me and my needs, as if I were the great protagonist of the universe.
Move my heart with compassion and true respect for those who need it most.
#WomensDevotional
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Take From: Devotional Thoughts for Women 2022
«NO FEARS»
BY: VANEZA PISSUTO
Collaborators: Alexandra Pérez & Angelica Cuate.
