Still face down in bed and half awake Saturday morning, my eyes opened. First thought in my head, no lie, was this; what if I was waking up in Haiti this morning on the hard ground? outside? What would I tell my children, our home gone, death all around us, hunger, illness, anger, loss? What if I didn't know where the next meal was coming from or if my injuries would heal?
The fact is you don't have to suffer a natural disaster to have these very same questions in plenty of places in the world. How do these people know that God is good? That God is love? Then you have nut cases like Pat Robertson saying Haiti got what it deserved....excuse me?
We are so far removed. Our hearts are so hard! We are so incredibly narcissistic.
This discussion launched last week when I posted a "status update" on Facebook that suggested that Conan should take the $45 million and give it to Haiti because someone else will be offering him a ridiculous salary next week.
Comments were that Conan should buy himself an "icecream" first, and empathy over the fact that he lost his "dream job" and wasn't he only scripturally bound to give his 10%?
My reply was that Conan could buy himself and everyone else in his life an icecream and never miss the $45 million. I was certain that Jesus would have forgone the "icecream" to feed some hungry, sick, homeless, grief stricken people.
This is the thing. We are so me oriented in the West particularly that we think someone else will do it, and I deserve this, I earned it, worked for it, it is my dream, me, me, me, my, my, my, I, I, I
From where I sit, God created us each with unique gifts to use for His purposes, not for my own. If we worked for it, it was because He gave us the strength and ability to do so. Do we play no part? That's not what I am saying. What I am saying is we take far to much credit.
Some are given little and they have many fewer choices in life. In some ways life is simpler. But to him whom much is given much is expected! I am not saying Conan is bad if he doesn't give all his money to help Haiti or anyone else for that matter, but that we all only NEED so much. The rest is what we WANT. How much should we indulge our WANTS and at whose expense?
There will always be people that take advantage of handouts and handups but at the end of the day it is about the condition of the heart of the giver, not so much what is done with the gift.
One of the bestselling books in Christianity today is Victoria Osteen's "Love Your Life" and her husband's "Your Best Life" continues to be on the bestseller list. That says a whole stinkin' lot about the state of Christianity in this country. Last time I checked Jesus said in all 4 of the gospels that those who love their lives and try to save their lives will lose them, but if they lose them for him only then will they be truly found.
God is good, God is love, and He looks to His children to show the world that this is so!
I'm sure there is more I should say, but it probably wouldn't be very nice :)
Your comments and questions however are always welcome!
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