Not gonna lie. Life has its ups and downs. Right now I've been dragging my feet in the muck and the mire for a long time. I mean practically crawling. It's taken a lot to get me to this place, and well here I am. I'm just going to have a little vent session, I hope you don't mind.
I can't stand to hear about churches, charities, or political campaigns raising millions of dollars in mere weeks because here I am in need of mere pennies and nothing is happening. People don't seem to really care, because I feel like if they really cared they'd help a sister out. And it's actually not about me, I'm not asking for your pity on this poor unfortunate soul, I'll get by. I always do. There are so many people out there in need of money, food, clothes, doctors, and other things but they don't have an excuse to fundraise for it. It's not like your average unemployed person or single mom on welfare can ask people to support them, yet these churches, and the most ridiculous of them all (in my opinion) the political/presidential campaigns, are raising SO much money for what? For themselves. I won't throw charities in this one because they actually help people in need. But I have no sympathy for politics and their campaign costs. I thought our government leaders are supposed to make our country a better place. I also know that the Church is supposed to help people.
Supposedly, the old and the new testament teach on helping a brother or sister in need. Pretty sure God didn't say anything about collecting money to make your buildings and stages bigger and cooler. I'm pretty sure that they said quite the opposite actually throughout the entire Bible. Sure God wanted a big awesome Tabernacle and then Temple, but once Jesus came and died and the wonderful Holy Spirit arrived for everyone there was no need for awe-inspiring buildings and temples because now we don't need a high priest or holy of holies to meet with the Holiest of holies.
I firmly believe that the things the Western "Church" these days spends its money on is equivalent to the Catholic Church using all the money from indulgences and other ridiculous things to make golden cathedrals and crazy gold-covered, stained-glass everything back in the day. Not all churches today do this, but it's definitely a trend.
I think Rich Mullins as onto something when shortly before he died he said this:
"Jesus said whatever you do to the least of these my brothers you’ve done it to me. And this is what I’ve come to think. That if I want to identify fully with Jesus Christ, who I claim to be my Savior and Lord, the best way that I can do that is to identify with the poor. This I know will go against the teachings of all the popular evangelical preachers. But they’re just wrong. They’re not bad, they’re just wrong. Christianity is not about building an absolutely secure little niche in the world where you can live with your perfect little wife and your perfect little children in a beautiful little house where you have no gays or minority groups anywhere near you. Christianity is about learning to love like Jesus loved and Jesus loved the poor and Jesus loved the broken..."
That coming from a man who gave 100% of his income to his church, and then his church divided it up into different charities. I mean, he lived in a hogan for goodness sakes! This is someone who we can be inspired by. There are actually Christians in this world (though Rich Mullins is not anymore) who are doing something right.
My needs are not that important. All I need is to pay a lawyer to help with immigration stuff, birth control, go to a doctor to cure my boil problem, get plane tickets to meet Romel's family next month, a wedding dress, etc. and so on and so forth. But honestly, God sees that list and he's all like, "Shoot, girl, that stuff is nothin'!" But I look at that list and I literally curl up into a corner and cry uncontrollably. This is the point I realize that there literally is nothing I can do about it. It's not like I can get a job tomorrow and work for the next 20 days and get $3,000 for it. It's not like I could win the lottery. It's not like someone's going to read this and think, "I shall help this girl out and buy a wedding dress for her!" or "I'll take this lady to Planned Parenthood and hook her up!" You want to know how I know those things won't happen? Because I thought of them. Every time God decides to open his gigantic wallet and throw money my way or give me something he does it in the most crazy, unexpected, ridiculous way that I would have never been able to see coming. And for that reason, I know not to be too terribly worried about all this.
Please help someone out this week or this month. Give your tithe (if you're into that) to a human being and not an organization. Identify with the poor, the weak, the broken-hearted. Don't buy that iPhone 4S because honestly I don't see the difference. Go without your precious Starbucks runs this month and instead give that money to someone struggling with gas money or paying bills. Go through your closet and give away all the clothes you haven't worn in the past 30 days, chances are you won't wear them in the next 30 days either. Stop eating out all the time and give that money away, or take someone with you and pay for them. The opportunities are endless.
Here are some great things to support besides me, of course!
I can't stand to hear about churches, charities, or political campaigns raising millions of dollars in mere weeks because here I am in need of mere pennies and nothing is happening. People don't seem to really care, because I feel like if they really cared they'd help a sister out. And it's actually not about me, I'm not asking for your pity on this poor unfortunate soul, I'll get by. I always do. There are so many people out there in need of money, food, clothes, doctors, and other things but they don't have an excuse to fundraise for it. It's not like your average unemployed person or single mom on welfare can ask people to support them, yet these churches, and the most ridiculous of them all (in my opinion) the political/presidential campaigns, are raising SO much money for what? For themselves. I won't throw charities in this one because they actually help people in need. But I have no sympathy for politics and their campaign costs. I thought our government leaders are supposed to make our country a better place. I also know that the Church is supposed to help people.
Supposedly, the old and the new testament teach on helping a brother or sister in need. Pretty sure God didn't say anything about collecting money to make your buildings and stages bigger and cooler. I'm pretty sure that they said quite the opposite actually throughout the entire Bible. Sure God wanted a big awesome Tabernacle and then Temple, but once Jesus came and died and the wonderful Holy Spirit arrived for everyone there was no need for awe-inspiring buildings and temples because now we don't need a high priest or holy of holies to meet with the Holiest of holies.
I think Rich Mullins as onto something when shortly before he died he said this:
"Jesus said whatever you do to the least of these my brothers you’ve done it to me. And this is what I’ve come to think. That if I want to identify fully with Jesus Christ, who I claim to be my Savior and Lord, the best way that I can do that is to identify with the poor. This I know will go against the teachings of all the popular evangelical preachers. But they’re just wrong. They’re not bad, they’re just wrong. Christianity is not about building an absolutely secure little niche in the world where you can live with your perfect little wife and your perfect little children in a beautiful little house where you have no gays or minority groups anywhere near you. Christianity is about learning to love like Jesus loved and Jesus loved the poor and Jesus loved the broken..."
That coming from a man who gave 100% of his income to his church, and then his church divided it up into different charities. I mean, he lived in a hogan for goodness sakes! This is someone who we can be inspired by. There are actually Christians in this world (though Rich Mullins is not anymore) who are doing something right.
These are some beautiful yet incredibly poor children I spent an evening with in India and this tent is where they lived. If you could even call those tents.
My needs are not that important. All I need is to pay a lawyer to help with immigration stuff, birth control, go to a doctor to cure my boil problem, get plane tickets to meet Romel's family next month, a wedding dress, etc. and so on and so forth. But honestly, God sees that list and he's all like, "Shoot, girl, that stuff is nothin'!" But I look at that list and I literally curl up into a corner and cry uncontrollably. This is the point I realize that there literally is nothing I can do about it. It's not like I can get a job tomorrow and work for the next 20 days and get $3,000 for it. It's not like I could win the lottery. It's not like someone's going to read this and think, "I shall help this girl out and buy a wedding dress for her!" or "I'll take this lady to Planned Parenthood and hook her up!" You want to know how I know those things won't happen? Because I thought of them. Every time God decides to open his gigantic wallet and throw money my way or give me something he does it in the most crazy, unexpected, ridiculous way that I would have never been able to see coming. And for that reason, I know not to be too terribly worried about all this.
Please help someone out this week or this month. Give your tithe (if you're into that) to a human being and not an organization. Identify with the poor, the weak, the broken-hearted. Don't buy that iPhone 4S because honestly I don't see the difference. Go without your precious Starbucks runs this month and instead give that money to someone struggling with gas money or paying bills. Go through your closet and give away all the clothes you haven't worn in the past 30 days, chances are you won't wear them in the next 30 days either. Stop eating out all the time and give that money away, or take someone with you and pay for them. The opportunities are endless.
Here are some great things to support besides me, of course!
Compassion International - sponsor a child!
Sex + Money: A National Search For Human Worth - Great documentary movement creating awareness and taking action in the fight against human trafficking, specifically within the US.
Jewish World Watch - Find out how you can take action against genocide today! Updates and information on countries and people groups facing genocide.
The Persecuted Church - Help fellow believers being persecuted for their faith all over the world!
Or simply look around you. Neighbors, family members, your children's classmates, there are people all around you who are struggling and in need of help.
