With his permission, I want to introduce you to my friend- Odell.
We call him Moses. That’s what he prefers; a nickname that stuck, based on appearance and his Christian beliefs.
Last night, he unexpectedly told me two things that will resonate with me for the rest of my life, and he doesn’t even know it.
In random conversation, he said to me- “I’m not sure if you realize it, but I don’t think I would be alive right now, if you hadn’t come and gotten me.” He has been sick. VERY sick. Honestly, I felt the same sentiment he had shared, but wasn’t willing to say it aloud. So did my wife. But the truth is, I literally had nothing to do with this engagement. I didn’t just “find” him. God put us together. God ordained every step.
And when Moses was down and out, beyond his own capability of managing his situation, God again unexpectedly prodded me. When my friend couldn’t even speak for himself, God gave me a sense… go… find him. Thank you, Jesus, that I wasn’t too ignorant or disobedient to ignore that prompting!!! This man would have died alone, without a single person to know or care, without any public acknowledgement, in a dark and cold parking lot.
Every step of how we met… every conversation… every moment… it’s been ordained. Orchestrated. Not forced. Not planned. Just… intentionally led.
If you’ve never really known someone who’s been homeless, it’s hard to understand how serious they take this one critical thing… they don’t trust easily. Actually, they don’t trust at all. And honestly, based on all that they have experienced, they shouldn’t. Because most of what they’ve experienced is the worst of people, and generally comes with strings attached. There’s always a catch. A motive. A repayment expected. “I’ll do this for you, but here’s what I need or want in return…” But this… wasn’t that.
I saw him.
I felt something in me say, don’t drive past this.
So I didn’t. No agenda. No transaction. No understanding even. Just… obedience. Just love.
For over two months my wife and I have been pouring ourselves into him. And he has felt only a sense of being unworthy. Waiting for the hammer to fall… wondering quietly, what did I actually want from him? He has met our church family, our friends, our relatives... my nephews and my niece, all young. We’ve opened our doors and our hearts to him, only for him to reiterate time and again how he didn’t deserve this treatment or kindness.
Last night, it came to a head. And it had to be vocalized. Boldly and loudly.
I wanted nothing but his friendship. Nothing but his heart to be postured toward God, so that we had a future together… a relationship that could endure. I wanted a man, who saw no value in himself, to see what we saw… to recognize that our time, the effort, the money, the exposure of family... that it all meant something – that all of this was a proven display of his value in our eyes. It was, in fact, God moving in his life- someone did care, someone was being obedient to their calling and found him valuable, based on our Father’s standards.
And so it was said. And tonight, out of nowhere, from a man who was so sick he could barely talk, completely unprompted- this man who has every reason still to keep his guard up- looked up at me and cast his voice loudly toward me as I walked away, “Hey.”
“What?”
He said, “I love you, bro. I mean it”
It stopped me in my tracks. It hit deeper than I can explain. Because it was real. Authentic. Unexpected.
I walked back toward him and gave him a hug... “I love you, man. And I’m trying my best to show it.”
I had given him a sense of value that he finally understood and accepted.
No mask. No defense. No survival mode. No more guard, no wondering what I wanted in return. Just a human being, finally feeling safe enough to say what was actually in his heart.
That moment, right then and there, that’s what life is all about. Not building walls to keep people out. Not protecting what we’ve worked to accumulate. Not living carefully enough to avoid risk or harm.
It’s about love that cost something. Love that takes risks and makes sacrifice.
Love that steps in. Love with action. Love that goes beyond our normal willingness or understanding. Love that shows up when it would be easier, smarter, and safer to walk away….
I took a risk.
I brought him into my home. Exposed the most value thing God has ever given me, my family.
And as of now, He lives in my basement, most likely never to leave until we have a permanent solution.
He has access to everything that I hold dear, everything that I’ve spent a lifetime building and accumulating.
And you know what? Now, it doesn’t feel like I’ve lost or risked anything.
As my wife puts it, it feels like something’s actually right. There’s a peace beyond understanding. Because this is where he belongs- with family, neither of us knew we had.
And maybe… this is who we’re supposed to be. People who offer love and hope to others who don’t believe that it truly even exists.
You may not understand the depth of this comment, but you are only one true act of love away from being real, genuine hope for somebody. Hope that we can so easily offer, with such little effort in the grand scheme of things. Hope that changes the course of another person’s life trajectory entirely. Not the Sunday morning type “love you when it’s convenient” type hope, not words, not good intentions that never reach fruition… love that moves. Love that acts. Love that risks being uncomfortable and pushes the boundaries of your security. Listen, I’m not preaching this from a podium, or talking about something distant to me, I’m living this in an everyday reality!!
And enough of us are not doing this very thing, the thing that we have been called to do. To love others. Genuinely.
So here’s the question…. Who is your “Moses”?
Who have you been walking past? Who have you been looking past that you’ve been called to serve? Who have you so easily dismissed for all the seemingly “right” reasons?
Who has God quietly put in your path that you’ve been too busy, too cautious, or too unsure to step toward? Don’t overthink it.
Don’t wait for perfect clarity.
Just stop… see… and respond.
Don't think… just act.
Because one moment of real love might be the very thing that keeps someone literally and spiritually alive.
If you truly believe in God… if the message of the Gospel truly resonates with you… you can’t simply sit on the sidelines. You can’t be a Christian of convenience. You don’t need another sign; you already have been and are called for more. To be set apart. To represent the Kingdom, and our Father. You can’t claim sonship when you have never stepped to the plate.
“Whatever you do to the least of these...” This is a direct act of kindness to our creator. Not a maybe, it is. It’s biblical. Why then would we drive past the hungry? Ignore the hurting?
Please hear these words, from the very spirit of my Father, given to a child who is actively seeking to be obedient in all that is asked of him, living this very reality... this life, is not your own. This place, is not your home. You’re calling is not of comfort or safety
Be intentional. Be bold. Be courageous. Represent our family accordingly, and the reward for your faithfulness will be beyond measure.
The work of the Kingdom rests upon you, the truly faithful. Find your Moses. And you both will be blessed in ways you cannot yet understand
~ Devin
Devin Osborne
The Early Church
