I was in downtown Little Rock last week. It was dark but still about 90 degrees and humid. Across the river was a stadium full of people watching a minor league baseball game and the highway behind us was full of people on their way...somewhere.
There were 7 of us downtown that night. We were outsiders. This was not our home, this was not where we "belonged." We came with cold water, some apples and a few pairs of shoes. It was the least we could do...literally, the least we could do. We took a couple hours out of our night to go spend some time with people who don't get a lot of personal attention.
Two of us decided to go see if we could find anyone else who might want a bottle of cold water while the rest of the group spent time talking to those few people who we found right when we arrived. On the walk I was talking to my friend. He was telling me about his time working for a homeless shelter. He spent over 3 years living and working in a homeless shelter. He wasn't getting paid, he had no other home, he had no other mode of transportation besides the vehicles that the shelter owned. He had volunteered to be homeless. That is not something that many people will do. He was explaining to me that he was just as homeless as anyone who stayed in his shelter while he was there. The thing of it is, he was no less of a man when he was there than he was right now. He has a home, he has a car, he has a job that pays him. Yet when he had none of those things, he was still the same man.
Earlier in the night he had said that people tie their worth to their possessions. Both Christians and non-Christians do the same thing. If we lose their "stuff" then WE are no longer worth as much. You can see it in how we talk about the poor and the homeless. You can see it in the way we treat the guy who comes up to us at Starbucks and asks for a couple dollars because his car is out of gas. We don't look at them as equals. They are now sub-standard humans and we don't have to pay them the same respect as other people.
If we would take a look at ourselves and be honest with ourselves we would realize that it wouldn't take much to put us in a situation where we needed someones help. We may have plenty right now, but that doesn't mean we will always have plenty. The Bible says, "He that gives to the poor lends to the Lord." (Prov. 19:17) If you aren't a Christian then living by what the Bible says doesn't matter to you. Just remember that there will be a day when you need a hand up, someone will have to come to help you. That won't make you less of a man/woman...it will just make you human.
"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." -Jesus
Friday, July 30, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
It only matters if it happens to someone I know...
"The American response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, demonstrated that large-scale evil and suffering usually remain distant from us.
In Sudan, millions, including children, have been murdered, raped, and enslaved. The 2004 Asian tsunami killed more than 280,000 people. Malaria causes more than two million fatalities annually, the majority of them African children. Around the world, some 26,500 children die every day; eighteen every minute.
The loss of American lives in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, numbered 2,973–horrible indeed, yet a small fraction of the terror and loss of life faced daily around the world. The death toll in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, for example, amounted to more than two World Trade Center disasters every day for one hundred days straight. Americans discovered in one day what much of the world already knew–violent death comes quickly, hits hard, and can be unspeakably dreadful." -Randy Alcorn from his book "If God is so Good"
In Sudan, millions, including children, have been murdered, raped, and enslaved. The 2004 Asian tsunami killed more than 280,000 people. Malaria causes more than two million fatalities annually, the majority of them African children. Around the world, some 26,500 children die every day; eighteen every minute.
The loss of American lives in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, numbered 2,973–horrible indeed, yet a small fraction of the terror and loss of life faced daily around the world. The death toll in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, for example, amounted to more than two World Trade Center disasters every day for one hundred days straight. Americans discovered in one day what much of the world already knew–violent death comes quickly, hits hard, and can be unspeakably dreadful." -Randy Alcorn from his book "If God is so Good"
People are worried about the economy right now. They aren't worried about the economy because they are really concerned for the people who don't have jobs at the moment. They are concerned because an unstable job market could cost them their job! When the housing market collapsed people were concerned. I talked to a lot of people about it. Almost all of them still had their job and were still able to make their house payment just fine. The problem was that now their house would be worth less money. They might not be able to refinance so that they could pay off their credit cards.
People are selfish. This is not a secret. It isn't something that we talk about very much because when we talk about it we have to take a look in the mirror. We don't like to look at ourselves and say WE are selfish.
The problem is that we truly are a selfish people in a country that fosters selfish attitudes.
This is something that has bothered me for a long time. I have done what I could, which to this point hasn't seemed like much, to get people to see that they are only living for themselves and their own desires. If what I am saying is not true then do me a favor. Everyone who is reading this right now, talk to all of your family and friends. Decide what your favorite charity is and instead of getting any birthday, anniversary, Christmas, Father's Day, Mother's Day...etc. presents, have them donate whatever money they would have spent on your gift to your favorite charity.
What? You don't like that idea? Why not? Why do you need more stuff? Why do you need extra things to go in your house when their are people who won't be alive tomorrow if they don't get help from someone? I have had people tell me that we shouldn't help those who won't help themselves. Then you pick a charity that only helps people who can't help themselves. Pick one that helps orphans in a third-world country. Pick one that helps villages get clean drinking water. I don't care who you want to help, I just wanted to show you that you are selfish to some degree.
Here is my dilemma in writing this post. Now this year for my birthday, I expect no gifts. I am going to spend the next couple of months coming up with what charity I would like to support. I will find one that is easy to donate to and that I believe in. I will have anyone who wants to get me anything (which now that I am an adult, the list is getting shorter every year) donate to that specific charity. I will have the person who draws my name this year for the family Christmas gift exchange donate money to a charity and not send me a gift card.
Why haven't I talked about things like this before? If this is truly something that bothers me then what has been holding me back? One reason is that it sounds self-righteous. It sounds like I am telling you that you are selfish and that I am not. That is simply not the case. I have never told anyone to donate money instead of send me a present. I might not be worried about "stuff" but I have not done all the good I could have done. I am starting right now. I am going to change some things about how casually I have lived my life up to this point.
If you are not ready to lay down your desire for things then that is something you have to live with. I'm not telling anyone what they have to do. I'm just saying that if we do nothing then we are selfish. If we don't change then we will never make a difference to people who need help.
Some of you who read this will be Christians, while I know some of you are not. Let me talk to the Christians first.
I do believe that as a Christian we should be more worried about our neighbor than we are about ourselves. I think we should give more, care more, show love more than anyone else. The problem is that I don't see it. I know there are the exceptions to the rule...but it is time to adjust the rule. The Bible says it is more blessed to give than to receive...but do we live that way? Do we live the picture we see of the church in Acts where it says that none of them considered anything to be their own and if someone had a need they would sell what they had and meet that need. Are we doing that today? Why not? We're selfish. Almost all of us are selfish to some degree. I was told that I had to start being nicer when I speak to people. I am challenging them too much and telling them that they aren't doing a good enough job. Well the way I see it, I am telling the truth. If you don't want to hear the truth then don't read what I have to say and don't come listen to me speak. If I don't challenge you then I don't really care about you.
Now to those of you who are not Christians. You may or may not care about what I think of you. Please know that I care about you. I care enough to say that I want you have a relationship with Jesus Christ. That being said I don't believe that only Christians need to give more. I believe that everyone should do more, I just expect more out of people who say they believe what I believe. If you don't want to give to anyone else, that is sad. Here is the thing though, I know some of you who read this really do care for people. I know you volunteer your time and donate your money. I just want to see it more. Not for my sake and not in the hope that one day you will earn your way into me thinking you are a good person. I really care for the people all over the world that are dying tonight because we in America didn't step up and do something about it. That is not a Christian/non-Christian issue. It is a rich/poor issue. It is a have/have-not issue. We are the rich, we are the one's who have. It is time to give something to those who so desperately need it.
Monday, July 19, 2010
What would you do for someone you don't know?
My question is what would you do to save a life? Maybe I am looking at this all wrong...and if I am I would like you to set me straight. I was in charge of organizing a blood drive last week. The Red Cross came and set up for it and their goal was 30 donors.
A little information they gave me (since I was the contact on our end of the blood drive) is that 97% of people will need to receive blood at some point in their life. Only 3% of people in Arkansas actually donate blood. Those stats are pretty crazy! I tried to share them with everyone I could and I was actually a bit surprised by how many people said they weren't going to donate. The question I asked almost everyone who said they weren't donating was what if it was someone in your own family that needed blood. Only 1 person said that even if it was their family they wouldn't donate. Everyone else who was eligable but wasn't going to donate said if their family needed a donation they would go and donate blood...but because it wasn't for their family they weren't going to donate.
Here is the part that bothered me the most. This blood drive took place at my church. All the people who said they weren't going to donate but if it was for their family they would donate...those people were all "Christians." I'm not exactly sure why that bothered me as much as it did. Maybe you don't like needles, maybe you have had a bad experience when you donated before. I don't know why you say you aren't going to donate. One donation can save up to three people!
I guess it was not the fact that people weren't too interested in donating blood that shocked me. It was how many would be willing to help if it was their family and yet they wouldn't if it was someone else. That goes against what I believe we should stand for as Christians.
I will say that according to the Red Cross rep churches are where they get most of their donations during the Summer months. Without churches having blood drives their would be an even greater shortage of blood. A lot of people aren't eligable for one reason or another. I'm not trying to talk bad about people who didn't donate. I was just surprised that if it was someone that mattered to them personally they would help...but if it isn't then they aren't going to give up an hour of their life. That doesn't seem right to me. Love your neighbor as yourself was the second most important commandment...if my memory serves me correct. Your neighbor is not just your family is it? Am I looking at this wrong? If you are truly that afraid of needles then that is one thing...but if you can get yourself hyped up enough to give blood for your family why won't you do that to save a life of someone who isn't part of your family.
I wouldn't mind hearing your thoughts. This is a very recent event (yesterday) so my emotions are a bit raw at the moment. Let me know if you agree or don't agree. Either way I am still of the opinion that if you would do it for your family then you should do it when it isn't your family. What if it was your blood that would save my life? My family is in WA, they aren't close enough to donate blood for me. Just a thought.
A little information they gave me (since I was the contact on our end of the blood drive) is that 97% of people will need to receive blood at some point in their life. Only 3% of people in Arkansas actually donate blood. Those stats are pretty crazy! I tried to share them with everyone I could and I was actually a bit surprised by how many people said they weren't going to donate. The question I asked almost everyone who said they weren't donating was what if it was someone in your own family that needed blood. Only 1 person said that even if it was their family they wouldn't donate. Everyone else who was eligable but wasn't going to donate said if their family needed a donation they would go and donate blood...but because it wasn't for their family they weren't going to donate.
Here is the part that bothered me the most. This blood drive took place at my church. All the people who said they weren't going to donate but if it was for their family they would donate...those people were all "Christians." I'm not exactly sure why that bothered me as much as it did. Maybe you don't like needles, maybe you have had a bad experience when you donated before. I don't know why you say you aren't going to donate. One donation can save up to three people!
I guess it was not the fact that people weren't too interested in donating blood that shocked me. It was how many would be willing to help if it was their family and yet they wouldn't if it was someone else. That goes against what I believe we should stand for as Christians.
I will say that according to the Red Cross rep churches are where they get most of their donations during the Summer months. Without churches having blood drives their would be an even greater shortage of blood. A lot of people aren't eligable for one reason or another. I'm not trying to talk bad about people who didn't donate. I was just surprised that if it was someone that mattered to them personally they would help...but if it isn't then they aren't going to give up an hour of their life. That doesn't seem right to me. Love your neighbor as yourself was the second most important commandment...if my memory serves me correct. Your neighbor is not just your family is it? Am I looking at this wrong? If you are truly that afraid of needles then that is one thing...but if you can get yourself hyped up enough to give blood for your family why won't you do that to save a life of someone who isn't part of your family.
I wouldn't mind hearing your thoughts. This is a very recent event (yesterday) so my emotions are a bit raw at the moment. Let me know if you agree or don't agree. Either way I am still of the opinion that if you would do it for your family then you should do it when it isn't your family. What if it was your blood that would save my life? My family is in WA, they aren't close enough to donate blood for me. Just a thought.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Crazy couple of weeks...
Have you ever felt like everything was falling down around you? Well the past couple of weeks has been that way for me...but probably not in the way that you are thinking.
My life is going great right now. I love my job. My needs are met. I am building new relationships. I am strengthening relationships I already had. So you might be asking what is falling down around me...let me explain.
People are what matter to me. Possessions, positions, money...nothing really matters to me but people. In the past few weeks I have had one person after another come to me looking for advice, help, comfort...and sometimes just someone who will listen.
I always try to be there for everyone that I can be and I will always continue to do that...at least that is my goal. It is just crazy how many people are going through so many struggles all at once! Maybe it is because I have been here long enough for people to get comfortable coming to me. Maybe there was this much stuff going on before and they didn't want to include me in their lives that much yet. I don't know, I just wish I could do more. I want to be able to help more situations...but I know that I am not the answer.
When people come to me for help, they should know I will point them back to the One who is the answer. I give scripture, I point them back to Jesus and love. I know it is the right thing to do and I really can't do anything else. If I don't believe that God is enough to take care of their problems than I am in the wrong "business!"
If you say you believe in Jesus and you say you believe in the Bible...then when you come to me you better expect that I will point you back that direction! If you don't believe in either Jesus or the Bible...the odds are you aren't coming to me for help.
I have said all I can say in every situation. I gave all the natural advice I could give. Now it is time to pray and trust God. Nothing else will do any good.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
My life is going great right now. I love my job. My needs are met. I am building new relationships. I am strengthening relationships I already had. So you might be asking what is falling down around me...let me explain.
People are what matter to me. Possessions, positions, money...nothing really matters to me but people. In the past few weeks I have had one person after another come to me looking for advice, help, comfort...and sometimes just someone who will listen.
I always try to be there for everyone that I can be and I will always continue to do that...at least that is my goal. It is just crazy how many people are going through so many struggles all at once! Maybe it is because I have been here long enough for people to get comfortable coming to me. Maybe there was this much stuff going on before and they didn't want to include me in their lives that much yet. I don't know, I just wish I could do more. I want to be able to help more situations...but I know that I am not the answer.
When people come to me for help, they should know I will point them back to the One who is the answer. I give scripture, I point them back to Jesus and love. I know it is the right thing to do and I really can't do anything else. If I don't believe that God is enough to take care of their problems than I am in the wrong "business!"
If you say you believe in Jesus and you say you believe in the Bible...then when you come to me you better expect that I will point you back that direction! If you don't believe in either Jesus or the Bible...the odds are you aren't coming to me for help.
I have said all I can say in every situation. I gave all the natural advice I could give. Now it is time to pray and trust God. Nothing else will do any good.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday, May 31, 2010
A quote made me think...
Love all, trust a few. Do wrong to none. - William Shakespeare
Is this a true picture of what we have been asked to do? Is "love all, trust a few..." truly the God kind of love?
I was discussing this subject just the other day. Well...not exactly this conversation but it was a conversation about both live and forgiveness.
The question was asked about people who have hurt you in the past, "How close do you let them get again? Do you open yourself up to get hurt again?" It is not something I have a clear answer on and I left that conversation with the agreement that it is a case by case situation.
We agreed that you have to forgive them, which means you can not hold what they did against them. You have to look at them as if they had never done anything wrong and never bring what they did in the past back up against them.
The tough part (as if that was "easy") was how close do you let them get again. If they pursue a relationship with you, do you allow it to happen even though they hurt you before? This is where we said you would have to look at the situation and see. Can you truly love and forgive someone from a distance...even if they want to get closer?
That is what is going through my head tonight. I need to go to sleep. I will come back to this subject at another time.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Is this a true picture of what we have been asked to do? Is "love all, trust a few..." truly the God kind of love?
I was discussing this subject just the other day. Well...not exactly this conversation but it was a conversation about both live and forgiveness.
The question was asked about people who have hurt you in the past, "How close do you let them get again? Do you open yourself up to get hurt again?" It is not something I have a clear answer on and I left that conversation with the agreement that it is a case by case situation.
We agreed that you have to forgive them, which means you can not hold what they did against them. You have to look at them as if they had never done anything wrong and never bring what they did in the past back up against them.
The tough part (as if that was "easy") was how close do you let them get again. If they pursue a relationship with you, do you allow it to happen even though they hurt you before? This is where we said you would have to look at the situation and see. Can you truly love and forgive someone from a distance...even if they want to get closer?
That is what is going through my head tonight. I need to go to sleep. I will come back to this subject at another time.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
It is time to write...
I was trying to go to bed early. That normally doesn't work out very well for me and once again tonight I failed. I am laying here thinking...so it is time to write.
What do you think of when you think of being successful? What is success to you? I think that a lot of people have a lot of different ideas about what true success really means.
I know that people have hinted to me that my success is based on how many people I get to show up to my singles events. They ask how many came to whatever my last event or service was and when I tell them they are normally very supportive. They tell me how good it is and that it is growing...but that is really not the point of what I do.
Of course I want as many people to come to the events and services as possible...but not because I care about impressing anyone with the attendance. It is about relationships with the people that are there and it is really about pointing them back to a closer relationship with Jesus! I want to help as many people as I possibly can build a relationship with Jesus. That is success to me.
Not everyone is a preacher. Not everyone is a "minister" in the sense of earning a paycheck from preaching. I know that...but aren't we all called to love? Aren't we all called to be Christ's body on the earth? Are you doing your part? Is doing your part to spread the gospel part of your definition of success?
Maybe you are. Maybe you are really doing all you have been called by God to do...but if you aren't, you have just been reminded. That's all.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What do you think of when you think of being successful? What is success to you? I think that a lot of people have a lot of different ideas about what true success really means.
I know that people have hinted to me that my success is based on how many people I get to show up to my singles events. They ask how many came to whatever my last event or service was and when I tell them they are normally very supportive. They tell me how good it is and that it is growing...but that is really not the point of what I do.
Of course I want as many people to come to the events and services as possible...but not because I care about impressing anyone with the attendance. It is about relationships with the people that are there and it is really about pointing them back to a closer relationship with Jesus! I want to help as many people as I possibly can build a relationship with Jesus. That is success to me.
Not everyone is a preacher. Not everyone is a "minister" in the sense of earning a paycheck from preaching. I know that...but aren't we all called to love? Aren't we all called to be Christ's body on the earth? Are you doing your part? Is doing your part to spread the gospel part of your definition of success?
Maybe you are. Maybe you are really doing all you have been called by God to do...but if you aren't, you have just been reminded. That's all.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Sobering news...
I got a text message that shocked me and has made tonight a bit rough. I am not going to go into what it was because those involved probably don't want me writing about it.
What I am struggling with at this moment is if there is more I can be doing. People are hurting all around us. Every day we see, talk to, work with and walk right past people who are hurting. I say it is more than that, I say not only people that are hurting but people that we could help!
I say we because I want to do more too! I am not shoving the responsibility of helping people off onto you. I am saying WE all need to do more.
Take the time to listen. People will tell you what is going on in their lives quick if you just ask the questions and actually listen instead of wait for a chance to talk! Say a kind word, smile at someone, hold a door, pay a compliment, do a little more than you did yesterday for someone.
Watch for people who normally talk but today they are quiet. Look for people who are always on time and then they start showing up late. Look for the changes. Reach out to them. Find out what you can do and do it. Don't let your life get so busy that you miss out on what matters. People matter. Your stuff, your car, your computer, your full hour by yourself at lunch...those aren't the things that matter. No one is going to say after they die, "I sure wish I had put in a few more hours at the office."
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What I am struggling with at this moment is if there is more I can be doing. People are hurting all around us. Every day we see, talk to, work with and walk right past people who are hurting. I say it is more than that, I say not only people that are hurting but people that we could help!
I say we because I want to do more too! I am not shoving the responsibility of helping people off onto you. I am saying WE all need to do more.
Take the time to listen. People will tell you what is going on in their lives quick if you just ask the questions and actually listen instead of wait for a chance to talk! Say a kind word, smile at someone, hold a door, pay a compliment, do a little more than you did yesterday for someone.
Watch for people who normally talk but today they are quiet. Look for people who are always on time and then they start showing up late. Look for the changes. Reach out to them. Find out what you can do and do it. Don't let your life get so busy that you miss out on what matters. People matter. Your stuff, your car, your computer, your full hour by yourself at lunch...those aren't the things that matter. No one is going to say after they die, "I sure wish I had put in a few more hours at the office."
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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