Relationships shape us more than opinions

Bob Goff's devotional this morning spoke to a lesson I recently learned in a powerful way.

Today, Goff talks about the opinions we often form about people who need our help. Often times, these opinions lead us to create reasons why people could be doing more to help themselves, and therefore really don't need our help at all.

I recently went to Honduras. In the months leading up to that trip, there was a lot of cultural narrative here at home about immigrants coming to the United States from South America. Much of that narrative painted those people in a negative light. One of the common themes I heard was these people were coming to our country looking for a free ride.

In Honduras, one of our trip leaders was Raul Carrasco. Raul grew up in Honduras, and does a lot of work there now helping his people work their way out of poverty. I got to know Raul, grew to love him - I formed a relationship with him.

Raul helped me understand his people love their home as much as I love mine. But his people don't have the same opportunities to be well and to be safe that I have in my country. He helped me realize his people don't long for a new home, they just long for a chance to be well and safe in the beautiful place they call home.

There was a day we were at a shoe distribution in a local community in Honduras. We were starting to run low on shoes. Raul could see some of the children wouldn't get shoes that day. Tears glazed over this mixed martial arts champion's eyes. Then, I felt my own tears sneaking up on me. Mine weren't so much for the kids, but for this man's heart I now had a relationship with, and the people he loves.

There are a lot of people around the world who need our help. There are a lot in our own country, in our neighborhoods and churches and places of work. I'm afraid we may spend too much time forming opinions about why folks fell into these positions of need instead of listening to their stories - stories that might just bring us to tears.

And move us to help.