clarity

I love when I am reading a book and an author is able to bring clarity to thoughts that happen to be rebounding all over the 3 pounds of human computer lodged in my head.

I picked up a book at my dad-in-laws and began reading it over Christmas break. Their whole church has been encouraged to read this book and do a study on it. It's called "The hole in our gospel" (...the answer that changed my life and just might change the world) Written by Richard Stearns, President of World Vision USA.

I am going to rewrite an entire paragraph that jumped out at me the first day I was reading this. It is one of the pages in the book that compelled me to swipe the book, bring it home, and promise to return it once I finish!

"Christianity is a faith that was meant to spread - but not through coercion. God's love was intended to be demonstrated, not dictated. Our job is not to manipulate or induce others to agree with us or to leave their religion and embrace Christianity. Our charge is to both proclaim and embody the gospel so that others can see, hear, and feel God's love in tangible ways. When we are living out our faith with integrity and compassion in the world, God can use us to give others a glimpse of His love and character. It is God - not us - who works in the heart of men and women to forgive and redeem. Coercion is not necessary or even particularly helpful. God is responsible for the harvest but we MUST plan, water, and cultivate the seeds."

Richard Stearns does an incredible job of painting a disturbing picture of world poverty and humbly encouraging the church to be on the front lines addressing the needs of those in this world who are in the most desparate state of need.

I just love this book. It completely nails my thoughts about the gospel of Jesus. Why is the gospel good news? Because you get to heaven if you "believe"? Sure, that IS good news. But, that is only part of it! We have been preaching a gospel with a huge HOLE in it! The WHOLE gospel is a message of hope and love and compassion. It is a message that should be DEMONSTRATED through serving and showing the unconditional love of Jesus to those in need while they are HERE ON EARTH! A message that brings peace on earth as it is in heaven. This is a challenging book to read. If you read it without feeling some kind of breaking in your heart for those who are opporessed, then you are encouraged to PRAY FOR GOD TO BREAK YOUR HEART.

Stearns talks mostly about world poverty and the web of oppression that surrounds the people in the world who are in the deepest pits of poverty. But, I see poverty all around me. My heart breaks for those who are oppressed by addiction, abuse, evil, cruelty, lies, unfrogiveness,illness, and hopelessness (to name a few). These conditions surround us in this dark world. So many hurting people. My heart breaks for them and I long to show them love, acceptance, compassion, light, truth and hope. Through my words and my actions. That is the gospel message I hope I can bring. Shame on me, and shame on ANY follower of Jesus if we bring a message of indifference, condemnation, judgement or self righteousness.

One final thought about what Stearns says in his book. Without going into all of the details, the truth is that we CAN END world hunger. We have the resources. We have chosen not to address the needs. Pure and simple. We don't want to.

He goes on to say "If every American churchgoer tithed, we could literally change the world. We could have $168 billion. (that is over and above what is currently being given) Just 40% of that ($65 million) could eliminate the most extreme poverty on the palnet for more than a billion people."

But, we don't do it.

We acclimate to our culture. We want what everyone else has. We complain about what we are lacking. We want to retire "comfortably" like everyone else. We feel we deserve nice vacations like everyone else. We spend out money on private education for our own kids. Etc. Etc. Etc. We choose to live in a way that DOES NOT show the world the sacrificial LOVE of Jesus.

I hope I can start to change that in my life. I hope the church community I am in can change that as well.

Clarity. Thanks God, for authors who can organize my thoughts somehow. So powerful.