The Problem Of Poverty

“I believe that, as long as there is plenty, poverty is evil.” As Robert Kennedy implies in the quote above, the reason for poverty is not the lack of resources but the unequal distribution of them.  As of January 23rd, 2012, 50% of the world’s population is shown to live on less than $2.50 a day, which equates to under $912.50 a year. The average American makes $41,560 yearly, over 45 times what half of the world makes. This outrageous difference is demonstrative of the unfairness of the division of the world’s wealth.

     Imagine a graph representing the amount of income various groups of peoples obtain. Imagine a line crossing the graph about halfway through it that represents the fulfillment of basic needs such as food, water, proper clothing, education, ect. Now imagine two bars: one representing America and the other representing the 50% of the world mentioned earlier. America’s bar goes past the line to the top of the graph, while the second bar barely reaches halfway to the fulfillment line. This is the reality of the trend of poverty in the world. While a select few percents of the world’s population enjoy comfortable lives, the majority are struggling in their day to day lives just to survive.

       Poverty is a rampant, growing problem throughout the world. Unfortunately, the reality of it is that poverty will never go away. The only way to event attempt such a feat would be for thousands of people to work together for it. This was attempted in the form of communism, but humanity’s own fallibility showed that it’s not possible to pull off such an effort. The graph is not likely to ever change drastically for the better.

     In spite of this, there are still things we can do. We can make a difference in people’s lives. We may not be able to change the world, but we can change others’ circumstances. The world’s graph may not change, but our own personal graphs can. We can lower our bars to the fulfillment line and use the excess to raise someone else’s up. 

     It’s not just about the money, however. While finances can change lives, as Mother Teresa puts it, “Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.” The best thing we can do for people is to genuinely love them. The feeling one gets when they know that they are truly loved is immeasurable. Mother Teresa writes “Hungry for love, He looks at you. Thirsty for kindness, He begs of you. Naked for loyalty, He hopes in you. Homeless for shelter in your heart, He asks of you. Will you be that one to Him?”  Many people are poor in love, but we can bring it to them wherever they are at.

     Ideally, I would like to see a world where everyone has enough and everyone is loved. This idealism in itself is impossible; however we can make a difference in individuals’ lives. I may not be able to change the world as one man, but I can change the world for one man.

A Note For Election Day

Hello everyone! Today is November 6th, Election Day! I sit here keeping an eye on the votes, but things are just getting started. I'm not here to advocate either candidate or go on a political rant. No matter who wins, my #1 Lord is Jesus Christ!

With that being said, I would like to just drop a note here about the elections. Romans 13:1 states: "Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God." So unless our president, whoever he may be, contradicts God, then God wants us to obey. Let me make this clear: if our leader tells us to disobey the Bible, then God always comes first!

So with this being said, I would like to enter this new season for America with open minds and open hearts. I am praying for this country in whatever way it may go, and I ask fellow Americans to the same. God bless you all!

Field Parable

The mind is like a field. You can plant seeds in it. There are many types of unique seeds you can plant, however you only have limited space. Some seeds will require more space than others, yet will yield more fruit. These seeds must be planted and taken care of, or they will die. If you leave your field unattended for too long, then weeds will start to grow. If they are not cut down, they can choke your plants and take all of their nutrients. You should only pick your plants at harvest time, if you do it too early your plant will be undeveloped, if you do it too late then it will be spoilt. The mind is like this true, but the heart even more so.

My Vision

  March 24th, 2012. I was at a student conference with my church. God was doing a lot of great things in students that weekend, including me. The lessons and worship were both great.
  I remember one particular service; I was on my knees praying. All of a sudden, a vision entered my mind. I hesitate to call it a vision; it was more of a “video” that popped in my head. I was in a little shed made out of tin in a field. I was leaning against a piece of metal. I was surrounded by rubble and debris in the shed. I don’t remember if there were any windows or doors, but there was a large hole in the wall I was facing, a little smaller than the size of double doors. Someone reached in a grabbed my hand. He pulled me out of the shed and into the sunny field. We were both dressed in military camo. I got the sense that he was my captain or general. He then turned and started walking away, leaving me at the entrance of the shed watching. Then the vision ended.
    I think this is a great picture. It took me a while to interpret it fully. The way I see it, I was surrounded by the rubble of life and sin. The man, Jesus, reached in and saved me from the things of the world, so I could be with Him. Then, He started walking away. It was an unspoken invitation to follow Him and take up my cross. I feel that this is His calling for all Christians. He will help us out of the rubble, but we have a choice to follow Him into the battle (see my article on Spiritual Warfare for help on the actual fight), or stay at the shed.
    Will you follow?

Disciple

Disciple (d -s p l) n.


One who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another.


    This is one of the definitions of the word disciple. We’ve all heard this word before, and it usually refers to one of the original twelve disciples of Jesus, or other followers of Jesus. To disciple someone is to make them a disciple of Jesus. What exactly is that?

        In most places today, to become a disciple is to pray this prayer, and then you will be saved. Perhaps there is much more to be done (See “There Must Be More to Life than This” and the book “Radical” by David Platt). To disciple someone isn’t to get them to pray a prayer. It is to help them grow in their spiritual walk as well. As Americans today, we believe in mass-production, trying to save as many as we can as fast as we can do it, which is not a bad thing.

       Our greatest example for how we should model our lives stands in one man: Jesus Christ. Notice that Jesus turned away the crowds, instead investing himself into 12 men, who 11 of which would become some of the greatest speakers of all time. Jesus turned away many, and accepted few. As David Platt put it, Jesus’ mega strategy was just to disciple, not mass produce. It’s not about getting someone to pray a prayer. While that should be done, it shouldn’t be the end. You need to invest yourselves in others, and try to teach them what you can. Let the Spirit guide you, and instead of mass-producing, invest yourself in a few. Do not do assembly-line production and then leave them on their own, invest in them. Imagine the differences between an assembly line and a hand-crafter. Sure, the assembly line gets more, but the hand-crafter gets better.

     Instead of just praying with someone and leave them on their own, invest into them, teach and guide them. When a gardener plants a seed, does he leave the seed to fend for itself, or does he constantly water it and take care of it? If you have a pet, do you let it fend for itself or take care of its basic needs?

    You take care of them. It’s the same in discipling. Help them grow in Christ and on their Spiritual walk. This doesn’t mean you are “better” than them in any way. As much as they learn from you, you can learn from them. This is the essence of community, helping each other in the Faith and to grow together in Christ Jesus.