“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3–4, ESV)
When we look at the world around us, we will see there is so much pain, hurt, and sorrow. The need is great. I could rehearse a bunch of statistics, but you don’t need statistics. Every day people die of hunger. They suffer from illness caused by unsanitary drinking water. Slavery did not end with the Civil War and is very much a reality today. The illnesses that you and I go to a doctor to have treated are a death sentence in many countries. The list goes on.
The sad thing is that it does not need to be this way. There are more than enough resources to go around to end much of this suffering. Often, the problem is not a lack of resources; it is a lack of compassion. We are so self-absorbed in 1st world problems, we don’t give much thought to these other problems.
Does what break God’s heart, break your heart? We may wonder why God does not do something about the great suffering in this world. The answer is that he already has done something. He created you. He gave you gifts, talents, and abilities. He put resources at your disposal. What do we think it means when Jesus says to seek first the kingdom of God? His reign is ushered in when we offer compassion.
You may not be able to end world hunger. But you can end hunger for some. If you have compassion, you can make a difference. If more of us responded with compassion rather than apathy, the world would be a much different place.
A phrase I heard a few years back was “live simply so that others can simply live.” But we get so self-absorbed in maintaining our lifestyles and keeping up with the Joneses. The biggest help we give is helping ourselves. How will we answer God about what we did with all that he gave to us?
An Opportunity to Help
I am excited to be a part of an effort to feed the hungry. On June 3, Greater Things is partnering with an organization called Numana to package 20,000 meals for children in Haiti. These meals will go to Mission of Hope Haiti who feeds 93,000 children every day. There are still 70,000 children on their waiting list. The meals we pack will help take some of the 70,000 children off the waiting list.
I would like to ask your help to make this happen. First, please pray for this event to happen. Second, if you are in proximity to NJ, join us on June 3 for the event. Third, prayerfully consider financially supporting this effort.
The 20,000 meals will be packaged in 93 boxes. Each box will cost approximately $65. That is enough to feed a family in Haiti for two months. But it is less than what it would cost for me to take my family out to dinner. As I write this, we have raised enough for 38 boxes. We only need 55 more to go to make this event a reality. Here is a link to the event: numanainc.com/event/haitian-childrens-ministry
In the end, whether you help to support this event or you participate in a different event, do something! And thank you for your compassion.
Reflection
- What is a need in this world that you can identify?
- How does it make you feel when you serve the needs of others? Why do you think it feels so good?
- Do something!
Leave a Reply