possessions - life - Jesus

The hot topic in several circles currently is on the topic of the uncertainties of life, especially in reference to the economy. Great concern exists within the discussions of retirement funds, savings, and whether that next promotion will come. A good friend of mine recently reminded me of how such concerns existed long ago as well; this is not a recent issue that people have had to deal with. Attempting to secure economic stability in ones life was even on the minds of individuals during Jesus' time on earth. According to Luke, a man once confronted Jesus, requesting that he tell that man's brother to divide his inheritance with him. Jesus' answer, of course, was two fold. First Jesus stated, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" He then went on to address the root of the man's question by saying, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Jesus could easily recognize the man's true intentions and took the opportunity to share with everyone the dangers of greed. He did not stop at greed though did he? Jesus goes on to challenge the man, including bystanders, to remember what life is and is not all about. As a Westerner, this hits hard because I live in a society where ownership, success, and getting ahead now so I can relax in the future are the norm and the expectation. Desiring economic stability and setting aside money now for the future are necessary precautions to take, however it is important to remember that these are not the things that should consume our minds, hearts, and souls. Life is so much more than an IRA, investment account, or the stock market. This is so because ultimately those elements can be taken at any time like many have come to realize in recent months, but the true treasures of life are eternal and cannot be found in monetary value. I love the wisdom of Jesus because he consistently addresses the question on the surface level, but then he addresses the heart. Be reminded that there is so much more to life than securing economic stability. Twenty years from now you will benefit more from the relationships you formed and the acts of love you carried out, than from the investment decisions you made. Find comfort in the small, yet mighty pieces of life and continue to seek wisdom was the wisest..Jesus.

zimbabwe + love

There is a lot of heartache going on within our brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe this evening. Since August there have been approximately 500 deaths from cholera, clean water is difficult to come by even in institutions such as hospitals, food is incredibly scarce, and the Zimbabwean dollar is practically worthless because of 231,000,000% inflation. Statistics aside, these are real issues for millions of Zimbabweans and it is difficult to understand why such horrendous events continue to occur. Much of the blame for the current situation in Zimbabwe is placed on the shoulders of the country's President, Robert Mugabe. I have joined in the criticism of this leader and as I have learned more of what the circumstances are in Zimbabwe my criticism unfortunately has turned into anger. Following a recent rant I had with myself in the car after new information was presented by NPR about Zimbabwe, I suddenly stopped and had to be real with myself. As a person who firmly believes in the power of love, I was not being a good ambassador of that concept. I came to the realization that God loves the Zimbabwean young woman who has not had clean water to drink in two weeks, just as much as Mr. Mugabe. This was undoubtedly a difficult one to swallow, however it came at the right time because I have recently been asking God to show me who I need to love better. Trust me, I still struggle with the decisions or the lack there of, that the Zimbabwean government has made throughout the current crisis. But I have attempted to not let that frustration turn into anger and resentment which is the complete opposite of love. Love can and must win, so as we as followers of Christ must continue to pray for Zimbabwe, including its' leaders.

maji

Water is a necessity for human beings and the lack of such a vital resource is a real issue for 1.1 billion people on our planet. For the past three months, a small group of people including myself have been working on putting together an organization that can make a contribution towards providing safe, clean water to all. The result of this desire is Maji, a movement that raises awareness about the current global water situation and that sells high quality t-shirts and then turns around and gives 100% of the profit to a non profit organization called Charity: Water. Maji is nothing more than a response by a couple of young people who have learned of disturbing realities and wish to see the world around them changed. Today, we are happy to announce that Maji is fully operational and ready to tackle one of the greatest injustices of our time. Please visit our website, givemaji.com and join us as we embark on a grand journey to see others have the same resources that we so take for granted.

make thirst history

We are all familiar with the phrase and campaign, Make Poverty History. This rally cry is beautiful and needs to be echoed throughout the world. However the concept of poverty as a whole can be quite overwhelming, so it is vital to understand what poverty is and what causes it. According to the World Bank, poverty is hunger, the lack of shelter, being sick and not being able to see a doctor, not having access to school and not knowing how to read, powerless, and a lack of representation and freedom. These individuals are not able to support themselves or their families. A more formal definition of poverty is ‘the state or condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of support; condition of being poor; indigence.’ Without the ability to support oneself, people are forced to neglect essential needs that our human body demands. One of these needs that play a significant role in relentlessly holding a person in poverty, and therefore a contributing factor to causing poverty, is the lack of access to safe, clean water. Only 2.5% of the water on planet earth is fresh, and the cost of obtaining drinkable water is rising. This reality has left 1.1 billion people on our planet in dire conditions and concern is increasing because of the implications the lack of water has on the health of individuals, not to mention the impact it has on those people’s ability to work, go to school, and live the fruitful lives they deserve.

There is a distinct difference between simply providing water and providing safe, clean water to those in need. Creating a safe environment for people to retrieve water is incredibly important, considering that in the developing world, women and children are largely responsible for fetching water which often requires more than three hours of walking per day. The traveling required to reach potentially drinkable sources puts women and children in dangerous situations that can lead to sexual harassment and assault, among other things. Also, establishing a clean water supply for these people has obvious benefits, especially in relation to decreasing poor health conditions. Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of all sickness and disease, and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Of the 42,000 deaths that occur every week from unsafe water and a lack of basic sanitation, 90% are children under 5 years old. Therefore, establishing both safe and clean water supplies to those that lack such a vital resource is crucial in the battle against inadequate water sources.

The current process of obtaining water that 1.1 billion people are forced to resort to requires precious time that takes precedence over other activities such as work, school, and the joy of living life. The lack of safe, clean water for these people presents serious health issues, but it also prohibits individuals from seeking job opportunities and receiving an education. It is absurd that such a basic human need can deter wonderful and talented people from experiencing the life they deserve and achieving the dreams they possess when the solution is quite simple and attainable. One organization that is taking bold and effective steps toward alleviating suffering from the lack of safe, clean water is Charity: Water. What they are doing is working because they partner with other organizations that are located in 11 different countries and that have tremendous amounts of experience in the specific regions and knowledge of how to develop sustainable, long lasting water programs. This often involves the construction of a well, and since August 2006 these wells have provided safe, clean water to 250,000 people.

Poverty can be a complex organism, however by addressing individual issues such as the current water situation, practical and effective steps can be taken to battle the suffering that occurs throughout the world. The sheer number of people who are influenced by the lack of safe, clean water shows the magnitude of this issue. Furthermore, the way that it contributes to poor health conditions and prevents individuals from living abundant, productive lives is evidence of the strangle it has on so many people and communities. But this does not have to be the case. Let’s not be the generation that stood by when people just like us were suffering from perfectly preventable issues. Learn. Proclaim. Act. Join myself and organizations like Charity: Water in working towards providing safe, clean water to all people. Together, we can make thirst history.

source: Charity: Water & the World Bank

pursuing the everlasting

Life is magnificent, wondrous, enchanting, fragile, and short. We have an incredibly small amount of time to love, influence, and change. This realization brings into perspective the value of each breath and waking moment. The decisions we make will be based upon priorities and values that define us. The following are lyrics to a well known song sung by Johnny Cash, entitled Hurt. The lyrics of this song focus on the concept of priorities, and how those priorities impact the future. One phrase is echoed throughout and rings true in my ears; "You could have it all, my empire of dirt." Johnny Cash was successful beyond imagination, yet he refers to it all as an empire of dirt! This has challenged me to consider what I am chasing after and what I desire most in this life. Is it the world and all the stuff it has to offer, or is it the kingdom of God which is everlasting? As you read the lyrics to Hurt, dig deep and attempt to be honest with yourself about what motivates you in this life. I have, and it is incredible to be in a place where I feel at peace with where I am at, where I am going, and what I value most. Life is short..what are you doing today to make it worth while?

Hurt - Johnny Cash
I hurt myself today
to see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
the only thing that's real
the needle tears a hole
the old familiar sting
try to kill it all away
but I remember everything
what have I become?
my sweetest friend
everyone I know
goes away in the end
and you could have it all
my empire of dirt

I will let you down
I will make you hurt

I wear this crown of thorns
upon my liar's chair
full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
beneath the stains of time
the feelings disappear
you are someone else
I am still right here

what have I become?
my sweetest friend
everyone I know
goes away in the end
and you could have it all
my empire of dirt

I will let you down
I will make you hurt

if I could start again
a million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way

weakness

Our world is obsessed with status and achieving high standards of performance, which apparently directly relates to ones success as an individual. As humans, we innately desire to do something meaningful and impactful with our lives. Whether we admit it or not, we realize how short our time on earth is and while we are here we want to leave an impression and achieve greatness. Often times, these desires turn into a lust for power and strength. If becoming successful and great is the ultimate goal of humans then power and strength should be applauded right? For some reason this appears distorted because for many of us, we recognize how futile these efforts are in the grand scheme of life, especially when these ambitions can be taken from us so quickly. Regardless, there always will be a piece of us that strive to be strong and known. If asked whether you would rather be strong or weak, it would obviously be strong. The weak are the people who barely get by, those that are insignificant, and the ones that are shunned by society as a whole, the secular community as well as the church in many instances. Who would want to be weak or even associate themselves with those individuals that are? Well for starters what about Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi, or Jesus? These people saw the value and beauty in being weak according to the world's standards, and even went so far as to constantly surround themselves with the downtrodden. I do not imagine them being incredibly concerned with the next promotion, the status quo, or achieving the greatness and strength that man applauds. Jesus, for example, said "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." He also said, "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." But what about the strong, the wealthy, and the self righteous? Again and again, Jesus sought out the weakest of the weak, and desired to be around them. This simple illustration points to how precious and valuable the weak are, not according to the world, but according to God. Was not Christ the ultimate example of becoming weak when He so humbly put Himself on the cross? I have been reminded of this truth recently, and it has forced me to examine whether I value strength or weakness. If I am constantly striving to become like Christ and experience personal growth, becoming weak must be at the core of my being. This may sound incredibly foolish, and I hope it does because that means I am getting the point across. Big picture, there is something valuable and everlasting about becoming weak instead of chasing after strength and power, which may only last for a season. As I continue to discover the beauty in aspiring towards weakness, I hope you will join me.

love wins..

This phrase has been popularized by tremendous individuals such as Mother Teresa and Mahatma Gandhi, and has served as a battle cry for decades. The power of the concept, love wins, can be tangibly seen in the lives of those people previously mentioned. Empires can be flipped upside down, prejudices can be eliminated, and the societal norm can be challenged. However, none of these incredible goals and dreams could have been achieved had it not been for some form of action. There is a fine line between believing that love wins, and believing that love wins. This difference is determined by action. Truly believing in the life changing power of love must result in some form of action, or else it simply becomes a foreign idea that seemed worthy at one time in our past. I like to call these distant, and once admirable ideas bumper stickers. Concepts that are portrayed on bumper stickers take little effort to broadcast with very little consequences. Putting a 'Love Wins' bumper sticker on your car is entirely different than believing in what that phrase stands for, and acting on it. Often times I think we put limits on what we are capable of achieving because it may not be comfortable for us. This world needs people who are willing to fight complacency, stand up for what they believe in, and put into action what they preach. Love does win, but only if people like you and me exercise it on a daily basis. There is power in love, yet love requires a decision. Choose love today, and watch the world around you change in ways you could never imagine.