(Disclaimer: The following images have been borrowed from the Compassion Bloggers. To the best of my knowledge, they were all taken by Keely Marie Scott and Ryan Detzel. I have cited the photo sources as such. I will gladly remove these images at the request of any Compassion representative or the photographers themselves.)
In the beginning, God's perfect will was put in action. He created a beautiful, lush land with a river flowing through. He created trees and plants that provided delicious fruit and vegetables. He filled the land with living creatures. He spoke, and the waters teemed with fish and waterlife. And then, He gave the land to humans, blessing them and instructing them to manage it well. (Genesis 1 and 2)
Oh, how far we have come...
(Photo Source: Keely Marie Scott)
Even when the people whom God loved had turned their backs on him time and again, he sought to rescue them from their situation and give them a land flowing with milk and honey. (Exodus 3:1-10...meditate on 7-10)
The people of this land are afflicted, and something very different than milk or honey flows through their land.
(Photo Source: Keely Marie Scott)
This is not what God planned. This is not what God desires. This is not natural.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am rich. So are you. This is neither natural or unnatural. This is just the way it is.
And to whom much has been given, much is required.
"The servant who knows what his master wants and ignores it, or insolently does whatever he pleases, will be thoroughly thrashed. But if he does a poor job through ignorance, he'll get off with a slap on the hand. Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities! (Luke 12:47-48, The Message) (In Context: Luke 12:35-48, The Message)
We are not ignorant to our Master's wishes.
"When you reap the harvest of your land, don't reap the corners of your field or gather the gleanings. Leave them for the poor and the foreigners. I am God, your God." (Leviticus 23:22, The Message)
"Give freely and spontaneously. Don't have a stingy heart. The way you handle matters like this triggers God, your God's, blessing in everything you do, all your work and ventures. There are always going to be poor and needy people among you. So I command you: Always be generous, open purse and hands, give to your neighbors in trouble, your poor and hurting neighbors." (Deuteronomy 15:11, The Message)
"Be generous. Give to the poor. Get yourselves a bank that can't go bankrupt, a bank in heaven far from bankrobbers, safe from embezzlers, a bank you can bank on. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being. (Luke 12:33, The Message)
This is not natural. Jesus knew it:
"If you want to give it all you've got," Jesus replied, "go sell your possessions; give everything to the poor. All your wealth will then be in heaven. Then come follow me."
That was the last thing the young man expected to hear. And so, crest-fallen, he walked away. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and he couldn't bear to let go.
As he watched him go, Jesus told his disciples, "Do you have any idea how difficult it is for the rich to enter God's kingdom? Let me tell you, it's easier to gallop a camel through a needle's eye than for the rich to enter God's kingdom." (Matthew 19:21-24, The Message)
The disciples knew it wasn't natural. In fact, they didn't even think it was possible:
The disciples were staggered. "Then who has any chance at all?"
Jesus looked hard at them and said, "No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it." (Matthew 19:25-26, The Message)
And that's why I think the writer of Proverbs was showing some serious wisdom when he prayed this:
And then he prayed, "God, I'm asking for two things
before I die; don't refuse me—
Banish lies from my lips
and liars from my presence.
Give me enough food to live on,
neither too much nor too little.
If I'm too full, I might get independent,
saying, 'God? Who needs him?'
If I'm poor, I might steal
and dishonor the name of my God." (Proverbs 30:8-9, The Message)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As I said earlier, I'm rich. (I'm stinkin' rich.)
Remember a couple of months ago when I was freaking out, because I thought I miscalculated our withholding for this year's taxes? How I thought we were going to owe a ton of money? How I panicked because that was going to make things pretty tight around these parts?
Well, I got down on my knees, and I begged God to spare me. I begged him to intervene and work out the tax deal.
And he did. We didn't owe a dime. We got a refund. In fact, even if we hadn't made a last minute estimated tax payment, we would have still gotten a refund.
And what happened to me? I got too full. I didn't exactly get to the point where I said, "God? Who needs him?" But I definitely got to the point where I stopped saying, "God, what do you want me to do with this money?"
Instead, I wanted new bedroom furniture, because mine wasn't good enough for me.
(Photo Source: Keely Marie Scott)
I thought about redecorating my living room, because mine isn't exactly how I want it.
(Photo Source: Ryan Detzel)
I also wanted to get a new pair of tennis shoes, since I don't have any. I've only got six pairs of flip-flops, three pairs of flats, a pair of boots, and a pair of dress shoes.
(Photo Source: Keely Marie Scott)
Gratefully, God sent ten people to Kenya before I could do something foolish, something selfish. He sent ten people to Kenya to help release me from my wealth. To help remind me about want v. need. To remind me that, without God's help, I will never, ever naturally be content with what I have, let alone with less.
One of the leaders of the Compassion Trip, Shaun Groves, says this about his job (working as a leader for Compassion), "I get to see children released from poverty. And Americans released from wealth."
And it sent me straight to my knees: apologizing for my gluttonous heart that always wants more, apologizing for my selfish eyes that turn away when it's too hard to look, apologizing for trying to live life without Him...and asking God to release me from my wealth.
Now, I'm determined to do something better with my money. NOT out of guilt. Out of love.
Because this little guy steals my heart.
(Photo Source: Keely Marie Scott)
Unless someone steps up on his behalf, he will continue to be right there: barefooted on a street of trash and human excrement. But if I choose to allow my heart to love him, if I beg God to allow me to be released from my wealth? If I make a commitment to sponsor him? Then he will come in from the outside. Compassion will step up to the plate on this little man's behalf.
He will be given the opportunity to learn.
(Photo Source: Ryan Detzel)
His belly will be fed.
(Photo Source: Ryan Detzel)
He will be given the opportunity to play.
(Photo Source: Ryan Detzel)
He might even grow up and enter the Leadership Development Program like this young man.
(Photo Source: Ryan Detzel)
I can't imagine any set of bedroom or living room furniture that can compare to that. I honestly, honestly can't. And our tax refund check? It's enough to sponsor 4 kids for the next year. Sponsorship is long-term and tax refunds aren't. But I've gotta talk to Mike. I think we can swing it. I think we can do it. And if we do?
My prayer is that our sponsorship will wrap our sponsored children up in hugss that change their lives. Hugs that let them know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they are loved by a ginormous, all-powerful God, and they are not forgotten.
(Photo Source: Ryan Detzel)
And so I cry out with the writer of Proverbs, "God! Release me from my wealth! Remind me of your treasure! Remind me of exactly how much I've been given and the responsibility that comes along. Fill me with love overflowing, and help me splash it out all around me. Give me the courage to say no to myself and yes to you. Connect me with children who need your love, God. Release them from poverty and let your love abound in their life. Continue changing the world with your love...
And can I please, please be a part of it?"
Do you like us? Well? Do ya? Do ya?
Love Mercy
Random Photo
