Showing posts with label selflessness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label selflessness. Show all posts
Sunday, October 03, 2010
A poor parody of Hamlet
To give, or not to give: That is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of selfishness,
And by opposing end them?
Ok, I'm done. I can't even write a true parody of this passage because I don't really understand the actual context in which it was written. (In fact, I thought it was from Romeo & Juliet until I googled it just now. My high school English teacher, Mrs Robinson, would not be calling me a scholar right now).
Anyway, this week I heard some news about the movie that was to be made about Blue Like Jazz. Apparently production was suspended due to lack of funds, so some guys made a website asking people who have been influenced by the book to considering giving to fund the rest of the movie's production.
Before I could stop my mind from going there, it went there: what if they don't make their goal? Where does my money go? What happens to the movie?
It's like a student asking for support for a missions trip: What if she doesn't go? What happens to my money?
The thing is (thanks, Allison) I don't really have a say in how the money is used. My reaction points out a problem with my attitude in giving: control. It's not my money to begin with. While I should be a good steward of it, it's out of my hands when it's given away.
I ran into this same issue last week, when I was reading Revolution in World Missions by KP Yohannon. He cited many examples of American churches and big-name Christians (without naming names) that wanted to help him in his cause of raising funds for indigenous missionaries in India. But the Americans wanted additional confirmation that the money pledged would be used the way they wanted- through a variety of different stipulations. I admire KP's integrity and character - he would not accept money with ties. And I think he was totally right in asking them to reconsider. It's not that there wasn't any accountability within his system - it's that the people giving wanted to make sure it was done their way.
While we're on the subject of books, let me bring up another one (some of you are probably not surprised I'm mentioning this book). Last year, I read Law of Rewards by Randy Alcorn. It's not a long book, but it took me a whole year to finish; there was a lot to consider and converse about.
This topic of how to decide to give or not to give is one thing Alcorn covers in his book, and also on his website (Eternal Perspectives Ministries). He's got an article entitled Nineteen Questions to Ask Before You Give To Any Organization. They vary from checking a ministry's biblical doctrine, ministry strategies and overhead/admin costs, to talking with people both on the local level instead of just reading literature/seeing promo videos. One thing I'm really glad to see on the list is the importance of giving to the local church. Alcorn suggests we ask ourselves whether or not we've fulfilled our primary role in giving to our local church.
2 Corinthians 9:7 (loosely) says we should decide in our hearts what to give, and to give it cheerfully. I think the kicker comes right before this verse, in 9:6: "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously."
As with many of life's interesting issues, the answer probably lies in a balance: giving where, when and how God leads you - which might sometimes be off-the-cuff without much consideration, and might sometimes be after an hour long personal appointment with a missionary from a ministry you've never heard of.
What are your thoughts? Do we have any say in how money is used when we give it away? Why/Why not? Should we extensively scrutinize every single financial opportunity that comes our way with Alcorn's list of 19 Questions?
(By the way, I just checked the Save Blue Like Jazz website, and they made their goal).
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
From Talk To Action
One of the overarching themes of the last year or two of my life has been discovering the true meaning of the Gospel. I'm sure that I will continue to learn about it for the rest of my life, as I'll never fully understand how it works and why God designed life this way.
Lately I've come to a much deeper understanding of the Gospel; it's more than a one-time prayer that I know I should pray. The Gospel affects our lives in eternity, but is also life-changing while we are on this earth.
Under this overarching theme lies another issue that has consumed much of my thinking: good deeds.
Just by reading the accounts of Jesus interacting with people in the Gospels, one can see that He wasn't only about truth, and He wasn't only about good deeds. He had a unique balance. The Great Commission and The Great Commandment were both important to Him, and they should both be important to us.
Why do we shy away from helping others when we see they are in need? Why do we justify our lack of action? Why do we make the excuse that they may use this money I'm giving them for booze!
"When a Christian sees someone who is physically hungry, a Christian feeds the hungry person. Why? Because hungry people can’t understand the plan of salvation? No. Simply because that person is hungry. That’s what Christians do. And if a person is spiritually hungry, a Christian becomes “one beggar telling another beggar where he or she found bread.” Why? Because that’s what Christians do" (Steve Brown).
Books like Crazy Love and The Irresistible Revolution have also fed my interest in this area, along with many articles from Relevant Magazine and Worldwide Challenge.
Nancy Ortberg was recently quoted about this in an online Relevant article: "Many churches I come in contact with have all kinds of programs for banquets, and teas, and Bible studies, which in and of themselves are not bad, but there is not an equal amount of serving the poor, and getting our hands dirty, and coming alongside people in need. The Church has to go to them. Many people started clamoring around Jesus initially because He was healing people, and then when they got close enough, they began to hear His message. And His message was, “The Kingdom of God is available right now.”
Shane Claiborne is also quoted in the same article: "People are hungry, I think, for a Gospel that embodies a social, political alternative to the patterns of our world. To me, that is the very essence of what spread within the early Church— they were caring for the poor, preaching another Kingdom and another emperor than Caesar’s. And it was absolutely magnetic because the faith people had placed in Rome was at an all-time low, so when they were saying, “We’ve got another Kingdom,” people were like, “Yes, we’re ready, because the world as we’ve experienced it is not working.” The beautiful thing is, people are saying the same thing now."
How much more credible are our lives when people see our loving actions, then hear about the love that motivates us?
Now that I know this, what do I do about it?
What action steps can I take this week, this month, this year, to move toward a better balance?
Lately I've come to a much deeper understanding of the Gospel; it's more than a one-time prayer that I know I should pray. The Gospel affects our lives in eternity, but is also life-changing while we are on this earth.
Under this overarching theme lies another issue that has consumed much of my thinking: good deeds.
Just by reading the accounts of Jesus interacting with people in the Gospels, one can see that He wasn't only about truth, and He wasn't only about good deeds. He had a unique balance. The Great Commission and The Great Commandment were both important to Him, and they should both be important to us.
Why do we shy away from helping others when we see they are in need? Why do we justify our lack of action? Why do we make the excuse that they may use this money I'm giving them for booze!
"When a Christian sees someone who is physically hungry, a Christian feeds the hungry person. Why? Because hungry people can’t understand the plan of salvation? No. Simply because that person is hungry. That’s what Christians do. And if a person is spiritually hungry, a Christian becomes “one beggar telling another beggar where he or she found bread.” Why? Because that’s what Christians do" (Steve Brown).
Books like Crazy Love and The Irresistible Revolution have also fed my interest in this area, along with many articles from Relevant Magazine and Worldwide Challenge.
Nancy Ortberg was recently quoted about this in an online Relevant article: "Many churches I come in contact with have all kinds of programs for banquets, and teas, and Bible studies, which in and of themselves are not bad, but there is not an equal amount of serving the poor, and getting our hands dirty, and coming alongside people in need. The Church has to go to them. Many people started clamoring around Jesus initially because He was healing people, and then when they got close enough, they began to hear His message. And His message was, “The Kingdom of God is available right now.”
Shane Claiborne is also quoted in the same article: "People are hungry, I think, for a Gospel that embodies a social, political alternative to the patterns of our world. To me, that is the very essence of what spread within the early Church— they were caring for the poor, preaching another Kingdom and another emperor than Caesar’s. And it was absolutely magnetic because the faith people had placed in Rome was at an all-time low, so when they were saying, “We’ve got another Kingdom,” people were like, “Yes, we’re ready, because the world as we’ve experienced it is not working.” The beautiful thing is, people are saying the same thing now."
How much more credible are our lives when people see our loving actions, then hear about the love that motivates us?
Now that I know this, what do I do about it?
What action steps can I take this week, this month, this year, to move toward a better balance?
Friday, November 20, 2009
Live Your Best Life Now.
Well, it's official. As of 2011, Oprah is done with her hit talk show. I'm sure housewives across the country teared up at the announcement. Don't worry, she's merely moving from ABC to her own cable network- the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).
You know how there are those moments in history where you will always remember where you were and what you were doing when you heard big news? (For me, 9-11. For my mom, when JFK was shot).
I really hope this Oprah thing is not one of those moments. When I heard the news, I did not cry. In high school I loved the NBC Today Show with Katie Couric, I enjoyed watching a good episode of Oprah interviewing famous people...even the View. I had to know what the panel would say about the newest hot topics. I'm not sure how or when it happened, but after I became a Christian I started to care less about Oprah. I also started watching a lot less TV...but I can't get over how much I really don't care about famous people in the news.
I must say, Oprah's story is an admirable one. Rising from a rough childhood in the deep south, she made it to the top, exactly the 'American Dream' that so many people are hoping to fulfill. She has overcome adversity to be a benefit to society. Wikipedia cites her show as gaining popularity by focusing on literature, self-improvement and spirituality.
Our souls are yearning for good stories, hope for change, and a belief in something greater than ourselves. We want someone to give us all of these things. Oprah fulfills so, so many of the unmet longings and desires of American women of all ages. Live your best life now, she urges us.
Huh. Where have I heard that before? That's the same thing Jesus says. And while Oprah can offer us things to fulfill our longings, nothing truly satisfies these desires like Christ can. And does.
Chadley, my Bible study leader, says that the best lie is one that's the closest to the truth. Oprah is just close enough to the truth and goodness of Christianity that many don't think twice her advice and suggestions.
Even her name gives us a clue to this. She was originally named Orpah, after the biblical character in the book of Ruth. "According to an interview with the Academy of Achievement, Winfrey claimed that her family and friends' inability to pronounce “Orpah” caused them to put the “P” before the “R” in every place else other than the birth certificate" (from this wikipedia article).
Most recently, she's entered into politics. Two economists estimate that Winfrey’s endorsement for Barak Obama - the first candidate she's ever publicly endorsed - was worth over a million votes in the Democratic primary race, and that without it, Obama would have lost the nomination. No wonder Blagojevich considered offering her Barak's Senate seat, viewing her influence more powerful than all 100 Illinois Senators combined.
Oprah has really made a name for herself.
That's exactly what isn't important to God.
You know how there are those moments in history where you will always remember where you were and what you were doing when you heard big news? (For me, 9-11. For my mom, when JFK was shot).
I really hope this Oprah thing is not one of those moments. When I heard the news, I did not cry. In high school I loved the NBC Today Show with Katie Couric, I enjoyed watching a good episode of Oprah interviewing famous people...even the View. I had to know what the panel would say about the newest hot topics. I'm not sure how or when it happened, but after I became a Christian I started to care less about Oprah. I also started watching a lot less TV...but I can't get over how much I really don't care about famous people in the news.
I must say, Oprah's story is an admirable one. Rising from a rough childhood in the deep south, she made it to the top, exactly the 'American Dream' that so many people are hoping to fulfill. She has overcome adversity to be a benefit to society. Wikipedia cites her show as gaining popularity by focusing on literature, self-improvement and spirituality.
Our souls are yearning for good stories, hope for change, and a belief in something greater than ourselves. We want someone to give us all of these things. Oprah fulfills so, so many of the unmet longings and desires of American women of all ages. Live your best life now, she urges us.
Huh. Where have I heard that before? That's the same thing Jesus says. And while Oprah can offer us things to fulfill our longings, nothing truly satisfies these desires like Christ can. And does.
Chadley, my Bible study leader, says that the best lie is one that's the closest to the truth. Oprah is just close enough to the truth and goodness of Christianity that many don't think twice her advice and suggestions.
Even her name gives us a clue to this. She was originally named Orpah, after the biblical character in the book of Ruth. "According to an interview with the Academy of Achievement, Winfrey claimed that her family and friends' inability to pronounce “Orpah” caused them to put the “P” before the “R” in every place else other than the birth certificate" (from this wikipedia article).
Most recently, she's entered into politics. Two economists estimate that Winfrey’s endorsement for Barak Obama - the first candidate she's ever publicly endorsed - was worth over a million votes in the Democratic primary race, and that without it, Obama would have lost the nomination. No wonder Blagojevich considered offering her Barak's Senate seat, viewing her influence more powerful than all 100 Illinois Senators combined.
Oprah has really made a name for herself.
That's exactly what isn't important to God.
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
engaged.
Last Fall I was presented with Mark 10:45- "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Since then I've read a handful of books about putting faith into action, and conversed with many people about being more focused on those around us who are in need. It's challenging for me to think of ways to engage in the world and serve others instead of being focused on myself.