Something Beautiful for God

The last few weeks, in homeschooling, we have been studying India.  Indian culture, economy, land, people… and each morning we read together a story that is relevant to the country we are studying.  Sometimes the stories are just that, stories.  But in this study of India we read the biography of Mother Teresa.

In one word.

Amazing.

Mother Teresa's life was amazing.  She was an inspiring woman who touched the lives of SO many people.  I am in awe of how strong her faith was, of how bold her witness, of how beautiful her love for Jesus truly was… and how she didn't just say it, she didn't preach it.  She LIVED it.

What Mother Teresa did for the dying and destitute in the slums of India… how she poured herself out for the orphaned children and for the outcast lepers… how she inspired others to follow in her footsteps and, how in humility, she wanted absolutely NO credit for what she did…

How can you not be impacted by her life?

Of all of the wonderful things that Mother Teresa said, that were captured in that book, there is one statement that I just can't get out of my head.

When Malcolm Muggeridge asked to interview Teresa for his BBC program he was not expecting the response that the broadcast received. She was not the person who enjoyed being in the limelight at all!  (And it showed in her interview.)   But TONS of people watched the program, and it ended up being re-aired as per request of many viewers and many who had missed it the first time.  They wanted to know more about this Mother Teresa and what she was doing in India.  Malcolm contacted Teresa and asked if a film crew could come alongside of her and the Missionaries of Charity and get video footage of all their work.  With much hesitation (and encouragement from others that the publicity would help their efforts), Teresa agreed to it.  In her letter to Malcolm, agreeing to the filming, she closed by saying this, "Now let us do something beautiful for God."

After filming, as Malcolm searched for a title for his film, and a subsequent book he had written about her life, he came across her letter again and knew what he would call them:  "Something Beautiful for God."

That was her life.  She spent her life doing beautiful things for God.

Despite her initial feelings about the documentary she realized, in the end, that the film was truly a great thing because it brought people closer to God; it showed people what loving God through loving others looks like.

Following the production of the film she continued to encourage Malcolm Muggeridge to devote more of his life to God. She told him,

"All that you have and all that you are and all that you can be and do-- let it all be for Him and Him alone…"

There was nothing about Mother Teresa that gave her any kind of advantage for reaching so many people.  She didn't have money, or power, or prestige.  She was an ordinary person who did the extraordinary.  She had a heart to serve and love those around her.  She saw the needs of people around her and she did what she could to care for those people. She poured out her life because of her love for Jesus and His command to love our neighbors. And because of her faithfulness, God provided.

I am so very inspired by her life.  I am inspired to wake up every morning and give each day to God, to look at every opportunity to serve others as an expression of my love for Him…

Inspired to do something beautiful for God…

What beautiful thing might God be calling you to do for Him today?