Matthew 5:40-42

Matthew 5: 40 - 42 states, “And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” 


Hello! My name is Ellen Ackerman, and I am a junior studying nursing at Clemson University. This summer, I have been honored to serve as an intern with Youth Mission Co in Memphis. I have grown and stretched so much because of this ministry, so allow me to tell you a little bit about it! 

Through my work at Youth Mission Co, I have come into contact with and tried my hardest to help people I have not been exposed to much back home. Throughout this week and the ones that came before it, I have been constantly reminded of the scripture above. I love but am constantly challenged by the part in it that calls us to give to the people who are asking for things from us. All too often, many people, myself included, ignore the people who are plainly asking for help. Those people include people who are crying out for help while suffering with mental illness, oppressed people begging to just be heard, and unhoused people asking for a few dollars. 

This week in particular, I have tried to lead my group to do just that; one instance in which we succeeded was when we had a fruitful conversation with the people who lead the Lynching Sites Project here in Memphis. After a conversation with one of the leaders, I gathered that one of the huge missions of this ministry is simply just to raise awareness and to get people to listen to the truth about the horrific injustices that happened and are still happening to African Americans. 

Our neighbors asked us to listen, and we gave them our listening ears. Our neighbors asked for our time, and we invited them into our time. What made this interaction so beautiful, though, was that there was not just one party doing all the giving and one party doing all the taking. Our neighbors asked things of us, but we also asked things of them. We asked for patience as we learned the truth about these injustices, and our neighbors were virtuous in that way. We asked for space to be uncomfortable, and our neighbors encouraged us to feel our feelings and name them. Because of that, in my little corner of the Earth and for a split second, I think I got to witness a near perfect embodiment of this scripture.
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I pray that as we all move forward in this life God has so graciously blessed us with, we continue to not only be encouraged to give what is asked of us, but that we also learn to ask so that we may receive. I pray that we realize we always have something to give, and if we make ourselves available, God can use whatever we have to give. I pray that we have the courage to ask for something when it seems scary or unlikely that we will receive it. Lastly, I pray that God uses us for however long we are here to make a better life for our current and future neighbors. Amen. 

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By Ellen Ackerman