The small church I attended at the time was planning to go on a retreat that I really wanted to go on. I knew I couldn’t just write a check for the fee, so I looked at my budget carefully. The retreat was two months away. At the time, I drank two diet cokes a day. Eliminating those diet cokes would completely pay for my retreat. Happily, I traded my daily coke fix for a season in order to enjoy a weekend of fun.
Have you been keeping up with the Compassion blogging team? Rocks in My Dryer and Boo Mama are two of my favorite Mom blogs, and both of them are in Uganda right now, along with others, blogging for Compassion International. Reading their first hand accounts of extreme poverty in Uganda brings me to tears. And as I weep over my computer, I wonder how many other people are reading along, crying with me? How many of us have these moments of realization, as Shannon did, that we are rich––RICH––compared to most of the world? How many of us realize we could do more for the poor, both here in the U.S. and around the world?
And how many of us will walk away from our computers and do nothing?
I don’t know your story or financial situation, but God does. If reading these stories tugs at your heart, but you don’t know how you could possibly help, bring that desire to God. Ask Him what you could do. And then listen for the answer.
Maybe it’s as simple as giving up Diet Coke. Maybe it's something more radical. I don't know, but God does. Ask Him.
Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.'(Matthew 25:37-40 The Message)
Giving sacrificially? It not only works for me, it’s a biblical thing. Check out Don’t Try This at Home, who is graciously hosting this week’s Works for me Wednesday in Shannon’s absence, for more creative ideas from Mom bloggers everywhere!
8 comments:
Well said. Amen.
Well said. I have been following their posts with much interest as well. And even when most of us (there are many who cannot), but most of us are in 'dire' financial straights, we still have way way more than we need!
Melissa -- I realize not everyone can give. But many, many of us can give...and we can give a lot more than we think we can.
Thanks for stopping by!
Love your Diet Coke story...it's a great illustration. I was so glad to see your comment over at my post today, the one along a similar line of thinking as yours. I don't know how others will feel.
I wonder what would happen if we would all agree that even if we can't support a child for $32/month, we would go ahead and commit this week to do *something*...which is, of course, basically what you're saying here.
Thanks. It's good to hear your heart.
I've been convicted of this big time! Now I try to find lots of free things and sell them for $1 each. I use this money to support a child in Rwanda. Our little efforts can make a HUGE difference in a life.
Thanks for stopping by, Ann.
Yes. We can all do something. And if we all did what we could, if each really did what they were able to do, the impact on our world would be amazing.
But we all think, "What can I do? The problem is simply too big!" And we do nothing.
Collectively, I believe we can make a difference. And touching one life -- giving one person hope -- is enough.
Honestly, I know so little about sacrifice -- true sacrifice. I almost deleted this post as I realized how trivial it is to sacrifice something like diet coke. People are starving to death and I think it's a sacrifice to drink water and not run to Starbucks?
And yet...where our treasure is there our heart will be also. And I do not want my heart living at Starbucks. Not permanently anyway. :-)
Just thinking about you and wondering how you are.
Not tired of poetry or hearing about your retreat!
Happy Valentine's Day
I have been literally boo-hoo'ing at my computer everytime they update their blogs. We've decided to sponsor a Compassion child. Just praying for the Lord to provide us the extra we need to do this, and I know He will. There are so many ways I know we can cut back to accomplish this.
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