Its truly a disheartening time when this is all you can see on the news:
Across Globe, Empty Bellies Bring Rising Anger
FOOD SHORTAGE ALARM AS PRICE OF RICE SOARS
Hunger in Haiti increasing rapidly
Where children are quite literally dying for a drink
I hope these are all articles that you might read and consider, since they deal with one of the most alarming things that is happening currently: the simple need for food. People all around the globe are suffering so much from the rising food prices, its making so many of them angry. Heres one quote from a Haitian quoted in a NYtimes article:
“They look at me and say, ‘Papa, I’m hungry,’ and I have to look away. It’s humiliating and it makes you angry.”
Most of these articles dont even mention the fact that most of these people are unemployed, and even people in our country are without jobs.
How screwed up a society we must live in for this not to be a concern to most people? I know alot of people rant about this, but the simplest of people can pick up a newspaper and look at what we have become: we know more about the lives of celebrities than about the state of the poor in our own city. Newspapers scrap real news for news about ex-American Idol stars. Everything is entertainment. Times Square in New York City is a great example of the state of our country. Flashing lights, advertisements, sound bites, video bites. Its a technicolor nightmare.
I guess thats one of the things I appreciate most about Jesus and how he came to Earth. He brought everyone back to the basics. He didnt tell everyone they needed to get steady jobs to be financially secure. He simply said, "Dont worry about what you will eat or wear tommorow. The LORD always provides." In fact, Jesus was more in favor of everyone selling their things and giving to the poor rather than being financially secure. All of the apostles left their steady jobs to follow Jesus. Its harder for a rich man to enter the Kingdom than a camel through the eye of the needle.
Honestly, if God really called you to sell ALL of your possessions you have today, would you do it? Dont give a Christianee answer, but think about it honestly. Would you really? ALL of your things? All of your money? Your house? The roof over your head? I'm not sure how I would even react to that.
I guess the roundabout point I'm trying to make is that we live in a culture that is so geared towards being well off financially and having insurance, but is always being concerned about money really what Jesus taught? Is it even what the Bible teaches? I heard one pastor say that having insurance was unGodly because it takes God out of the picture, making you put your trust in man instead. I might not be as radical as that, but I think he has a good point.
In the meantime, I originally started to write this post because I wanted to incite discussion amongst people with some questions I've been pondering lately. Please post your responses either via Facebook or Blogger.
1. Ultimately, will the world get better or get worse?
2. What is the most effective way to care for the poor? Will giving poor and third world countries money and provisions really help them in the long run?
3. Where do dreams come from? Why do we dream?
hope to get some awesome responses!
~Jared
4 comments:
Man, that was a pretty great wake up call.
Honestly, it would be really hard for me to sell all of my possessions. A lot of people are urging people to wait on God. But in this case, we need to pursue God and His good works in the natural relm. By doing that it can really set a good example for society.
Did you know if we compared Americas "waste" (really just perfectly good resources) to the rest of the world, we would need four more worlds to equal the amount of waste?
Useless information but do you see how corrupt and how we daily kill ourselves with consumption?
We do need to help the other nations. And by doing that we don't just help them and them not do anything. We teach them how to do it themselves. Hatians have a bad attitude bout that. They always have their hands out for money or food. They can be quite lazy/
Anyhow. Awesome topic. Enjoyed puking information about it.
Oh and Sorry I didn't answer your questions specifically. :/
good post! i had to leave three comments on facebook cuz my response was so long, haha.
and i agree with maddie, it would be hard, i really dunno what i would do...i guess in a small sense thats what we are preparing for, but still.
providing skills and jobs to the poor i think is a better answer than throwing money or even food at them. they have to become able to support themselves and family to bring them out of severe poverty.
basically THE ALLIANCE (yes us 4) have to do that, because who else is going to? we cant just wait around and hope things get better. we gotta do it. i think us 4 should sell all we have and go fight poverty. ya in?
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