Did you know that if you 1) own a refrigerator, 2) sleep in a bed, 3) hang your clothes in a closet, and 4) have a roof over your head, you are richer than 75% of the people in the world? Did you also know that over half of the people in the world today struggle to survive on 2$ per day? Does this surprise you? If so, you're not alone. It also surprised the students at the Christian International School of Prague. And it will surprise those in church who hear Sunday's sermon on "A Christian's response to poverty and suffering".Why do these figures surprise us?
Because poverty and oppression do not affect our daily lives. We don't see it. When we get a glimpse of it on television, we want to care deeply but we have no practical way to respond. This is why we can see horrific images of starving children in Ethiopia or refugees pouring out of war torn countries like Somalia and simply tune it out. We can't possibly feel sorrow for each of these people. It would break our hearts immediately. We cannot intellectually grasp the staggering numbers of those bound in poverty, starvation, forced prostitution, refugee camps, social marginalization, and a hundred other "bonds of wickedness" (Isaiah 58:6).
So we don't.
That is why I advocate 4 small, practical steps that anyone can take towards affecting the poor and suffering with the gospel and bettering their lives.
Step 1: Thank God: Develop an attitude of gratitude.
- Realize how much you have compared to the VAST MAJORITY of the world.
- Proactively replace complaining with statements of gratitude.
- Thank God every day for what He has given you materially and spiritually.
Step 2: Pray: Choose someone to pray for.
- Choose a poor family in town or a homeless person you see.
- Choose refugees from a certain country (ie Somalia).
- Choose a despised minority (ie Roma in Eastern Europe).
- Choose an organization that works with the poor and oppressed (ie TouchGlobal (EFCA), or Compassion International).
- Research the group or organization so you can pray informed prayers.
- Set aside one day per week when you (and your family) pray for your chosen group.
Step 3: Give: As the Lord leads, give of your abundance to your chosen group.
- Give to a Christian organization that works with the poor, the hungry, or the homeless in your town.
- Give to a Christian organization that works with refugees, widows, or orphans.
- Give to a Christian Mission organization that is planting churches using holistic ministries.
- If you have the experience and wisdom, give directly to a poor individual or family.
Why not take a huge step of faith and go serve those for whom you have given and prayed!
- Serve in a local homeless shelter, food pantry, or soup kitchen.
- Go visit a missionary who is working with the group you are interested in.
- Take part in your church's next service project, whether near, far, or even further!
If you need ideas for service or further study, or would like to discuss any of these steps, please contact me!
My sermon text Sunday will be Isaiah 58:5-7 and Matthew 25:31-40. Please take a minute to read about God's heart for the poor and the suffering and ask Him what your part might be in sharing the gospel in word and deed with them. And please pray for me as I preach.
Tom thanks for your work and this nice reflection on how important it is to connect those of us who live well with those who not enjoy the modest to high levels of affluence we enjoy as the *economic minority*. I'm in the USA (Oregon) and fear that as our economic problems get worse so will those in the rest of the world.
ReplyDeleteI fear the same thing...that the economic situation will slow down giving towards charity/missions work. In the end, this "economic adjustment" will hopefully cause people to think about living frugally and about people who have far less than we do.
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