It's time for a change

Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, Luke 12:33-35

I recently had a friend joke that we were selling everything we owned to bring this child home from Africa. = ) Not quite true but I would probably consider it if I didn't have any other children at home. People I am there.

The Lord is laying a heavy burden on my heart. I enjoy too many conveniences, too many luxury items, too many "things", when there are people who have nothing. Jesus has called us over and over and over again to live like he did. To consider others better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3), love our neighbor as our self (Mark 12:30-31), to give any excess or extra that we do not need to the poor (Leviticus 23:22), and etc... We spend too much money on making our own lives comfy. Too much time worrying about what will our next purchase be, in order to satisfy us.

I am so guilty of this. I am so guilty of convenience spending, of using what I have to make things easy on me. We crank up the air so that we don't feel a slight bit warm and run up the bills when there are elderly people and families down the road that find it hard to come up with the money for a window fan on 100 degree days. We run through McDonald's or order out most anytime we have somewhere to be during the weeknight. We love shopping at the mall, going to the movies, and buying things for extra projects around the house. While others in our community can't find the money or don't have the resources to put food on the table each night or to adequately dress their children. Not to mention the millions elsewhere dying of starvation.

How did we get here? How did we as Christians forget what Jesus has asked of us? Why are we searching for the next big thing? We know what truly satisfies, we know how we are called to live, and lots of us have the resources to help others. What would the world look like if each Christian followed in Christ footsteps and displayed compassion and generosity in a manner like he did. I can't imagine it would result in anything but good and I know that it is what He desires, He said so!

It is as simple as this: see a need strive to meet it, with your time, your money, your prayers, and any resource you can find, with out considering the cost to yourself.

Do not get me wrong I believe each of us has a special gift and a specific ministry, but I believe all of us where called to follow Christ's example. I am the biggest duck in the puddle. My eyes need to focus harder on Him and on how He sees these needs. I don't believe all life's extras are bad, I just believe we need to be about much more.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Philippians 2:3

"When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God. Leviticus 23:22

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. Mark 12:30-31