This is what’s on my heart and burning up in my soul. The need I’ve seen all around this world, weather in person or on TV or through others stories and memories. The more I seek Christ, the more I’m meeting the least. And it’s in the obvious places that I’d been calloused to and then the more shocking places that are right in front of me that I‘m seeing need. There is need all around us, people in desperate poverty of all different kinds. As I see the church today honestly over flowing here in America with all kinds of wealth, I’m more and more frustrated by the growing amount of need, and also fearful for us that have much, because if we go on like this we’ll be the ones in poverty of some kind.
Is it wrong that we have food in our pantry and plenty of clothes in the closet and a car in the garage? NO. That's a question with an obvious answer, a question I think we ask to further avoid the reality we are afraid to see. The wrong is not in having things, having our needs met and being blessed with more than that. The wrong is in our ignorance of others needs, in our going about our gluttonous lives while people starve simply for lack of food or clean water. The wrong is in our pride and constant craving for more; more money for ourselves, more time to ourselves, more luxury and convenience. The wrong is in our ability and desire to remain comfortably in the selfish states of living that I've just listed.
Who do we think we are? To let people thirst to death simply because it's a few hours flight away and not on our door step. To let souls starve in the excuse that an organization might keep part of the measly few dollars we toss their way on a guilt trip. To pass by and avoid the beggar, drunk, or lost in the excuse that they and their circumstances are hopeless, that they’ve had their chances. People are dying or falling closer to death every day, they are not just statistics or pictures on our plasma TV screens, they are living, breathing, created souls. Souls created and loved and meant for lives of purpose by the same God who made you and I.
Where do we get this mentality that our faith is simply about us and what we get out of it? It’s that mentality that is spiritual suicide. When we turn away from the least and needy, we turn away from Christ. When we begin to shun or refuse those in need and hold back the love of God that we've been given, we are doing those same things to Jesus.
Love, I say this often now and am beginning to hear it often from some others too, but it still isn’t said enough. Actually, it isn’t lived enough. Love, love, love. Love of God to us, love to our God, and love to others. LOVE. We need to give and reflect the love of God just as we need to receive it, because it’s not something to be contained, it’s something to be continually shared and given. We should not wait any longer, it's not about convenience or comfort, Love is what we're created for.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:16-18
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