Why Christians Will Not Help The Poorest Nations
In a few hours I get on a jet and head home - I’m ready. Been a great trip, but there’s always no place like home. I’ve had some time to reflect and think a lot on this trip - it’s been good. I’m always doing that with so much going on, but doing it with so much going on doesn’t always insure genuine clear thinking - so this has been good.
As I ran the final time today around Lake Hoan Kiem in the heart of Hanoi - I have seen so many changes since I first came here 14 years ago. I’ve seen things steadily improve economically, educationally, and in other ways - but there is still so much to be done and so much poverty and so many needs it’s simply overwhelming. I was also thinking about the list of top poorest countries in the world and as I was running I thought to myself - if the church and Christians would get up on their feet - they could solve most of these problems over night. The same is true of our urban centers and poverty in America as well. It’s not a matter of resources, ability, or the fact that we are ignorant to the plight of th poor and hurting - it’s a matter of obedience.
So, why do we refuse to obey God and serve others and come together to touch every hurting person and need?
1. We’re greedy - we want all our stuff for ourself. Can we as Americans, having been blessed so much, think we can keep hoarding and God not judge us?
2. We’re lazy - we’re forever hoping someone else will do it. We love to kick back.
3. We’re busy - our priorities generally don’t involve those outside our immediate family, friends, or co-workers.
4. We’ve been cold hearted for so long - we think we will continue to get away with it. Hopefully we will ignore it, and just not think about it.
So, when will Chrisians start doing it?
1. When we are broken over the sin in our life and fall in love with God. When this happens, it sets the stage for God breaking our heart for others less fortunate.
2. When we begin to not just give our money, but our time and expertise and even use our jobs to be a blessing to others.
3. When we put God and others before our own self-interest and desires, like Jesus did us.
4. When we come together to work with others that also want to make a difference. It will require the body, not a lone ranger.
Will Christians ultimately help? Some will, most won’t. We’ll get rich, go to church, grow big churches, but when the Father sees us, will he be able to say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Blog Categories
Search Glocalnet
Support
Partners
Comments
Aug 9, 2008 at 08:57 AM
Bob,
Great thoughts. Love what you are doing. I feel your frustration. I've been to Cape Town, Egypt and Zimbabwe this past year. You get this sense that the church is really letting down the world.
Yet the frustration for me is how busy everyone is here in America. Most folks in my church seem completely overwhelmed by life.
I can't find the balance.
Aug 9, 2008 at 10:03 AM
Good stuff Bob!!! In our mens prayer service today, we were praying today about "our responsibility"...about how God desires to use us more, but we MUST be responsible and faithful with "the little things first". He cries out for us to be "workers (disciples)", not just set back and say we are, but to get out and prove it....plant the seeds, plow the fields, and watch the "fruit multiply". We can't simply do this by going to church, sitting in our homes and praying, and feeling like we are being good Christians. We need to get involved and quit with the excuses. Ultimately, there are no excuses....we can't fool God!!!! I tremble at the thought of standing before the throne and having Him ask "couldn't you have done more?" May we have the same fire in our hearts that Jesus had!!!!
Aug 9, 2008 at 02:08 PM
great post Bob, it saddens me how passively dull many of us have become to the world and all the needs... but I still think there's hope, and little sparks of god's heart are popping up everywhere in people... just wish they were all Christians.
Aug 9, 2008 at 04:48 PM
This is such good stuff, Bob. These are questions that i think many of us have been asking, and are beginning to ask. Guys like you are challenging others to think differently, and make a greater kingdom impact. I meet young people everyday who naturally understand that it's OUR responsibility as THE CHURCH to pursue solutions to these problems. I'm hopeful. I have an engineer friend who is a fairly new believer. It's funny how he totally "gets this stuff". I don't have to provoke his thinking towards these issues. He just knows, "i'm a Christian, so i'm called to using my job & resources to rock and roll." I chatted with your son today about G.A.I., and became even more confident than before that followers of Christ all over the world are ready to get serious, lay themselves aside, and pursue the kingdom. Thanks for helping me to better understand these key principles of following Christ.
Aug 10, 2008 at 12:09 PM
i care deeply and share your pain for the heart of our christ child........the causes of the poor sick hungry hurting world. i so hope to do more be more give more and weep in my upper room for others to burn with this passion and be the church we so called to be and must not can not ignore............go Bob you have my heart and passion and prayers to be...........go
Aug 11, 2008 at 10:54 AM
Our church (Imago Dei in Portland, OR) is sending a team to Liberia in October. The US State Dept calls this one of the poorest countries in the world, recovering from 14 years of civil war that devastated the nation. Only parts of the capital have electricity and piped water, and those have only been turned on in the last year or so...some four years after the war substantially ended. So what can we do? We're going to help build a school, work with a Women's Empowerment Center (for girls and young women coming out of sex trades), and connect with pastors and government leaders to see what other needs we may be able to help with.
One of the most important things we're going to do is listen to the people there: education and infrastructure are at the top of their lists, so that's where we'll start. I think what we will need to learn is how to balance gospel *demonstration* with gospel *proclamation*; too often, it seems, one takes precedence over the other.
Aug 11, 2008 at 01:58 PM
Bob, I agree with your assessments, but wonder if there is not also an element of faithlessness. In other words, perhaps we fear that our best efforts will not make a difference in these dark places.
See you Thursday!
Leave a Reply