God's Vision
Ezekiel 16:49-50
"Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it."
This may seem contradictory because I've been posting so much about growing my income with It Works. The reasons I decided to go for it with this network marketing business are that I enjoy helping people and I really believe that the products and the company are truly helping people. I just read about a woman who was sleeping on the floor in a one bedroom apartment with 3 kids who has succeeded with the business and is making more than she ever though possible. It's helping her. What Tim and I discussed is that if we end up making crazy money with It Works and we're debt free with a home of our own (we're seriously considering building a self-sustaining Earthship), we will live on a set amount and give the rest away somehow. You can't feed hungry people with good intentions, and you just need money to help people. Every good non profit and ministry that are truly helping people need money to do it. So I believe that if God blesses people with wealth, they should give it away. That's all I'm going to say about that for now, because my thoughts are going in a different direction for this blog.
That passage from Ezekiel is pretty clear. Sodom was destroyed because they were prosperous and oppressed the poor. I don't think its the prosperity necessarily that did them in, because money in and of itself isn't evil, it's that they hoarded it, became arrogant, and had no regard for the poor. God's heart is for the poor and needy. If you have read the prophets at all, and the teachings of Jesus (Matthew 25 as one strong example), it is absolutely loud and clear. The kingdom of God, the heart of God, the mission of God is for the poor. If you are a professing follower of Jesus, then that should be what is important to you.
The reason I'm talking about this is because my heart has been just so grieved by the World Vision explosion the past week or two. I know a million people have already blogged about this, but I couldn't sleep last night thinking about it. It grieves me because I'm just so passionate about John 17, about the church being one. Tim and I have even considered on numerous occasions joining the Orthodox Church (the original church). I hate the current culture wars. I hate the older and younger generations are becoming more and more divided. But what I'm grieved about most of all is that last week, politics and rules and "issues" became more important to a large group of the church than feeding hungry children. I mean whatever side of the issue you are on as far as the homosexuality dialogue goes, certainly we can agree that taking care of impoverished children trumps all that??? What is that saying to the children whose sponsorships were lost because their sponsors care more about making a "stand" than being the hands and feet of God. It's wrong and it's the opposite of the kingdom. Can we please read the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25 again? In that passage, only thing Jesus cares about is if you help the needy or not.
We've really missed the mark here.
This is what I want to say to the Evangelical church as a whole (and yes I am a Millenial who has stayed a part of the church because I believe there are many good things about my tradition and history and I love the people more than I disagree with certain things): Have you read the prophets at all? Not just the "making roads in a wilderness" parts, and don't get me wrong, those are beautiful passages of God's grace and forgiveness, but why was God angry at Israel all those years? Why did they get taken into exile? Because they were prosperous, arrogant, and oppressed the poor. But these things aren't talked about in Evangelical circles. It's about getting angry about whether or not our entertainment is biblical, but not at issues like human trafficking. It's about being on the "right side" of political issues. It's more about who's in and who is out. But Jesus has invited EVERYONE who will come to the table. His heart is for those that are ostracized, those on the fringes, the poor, the oppressed, the misfits.
I will finish with this passage from Isaiah. It convicts me so much and I am so grieved at my own part in this. When is the last time this passage was your meditation (does this sounds like our country at all?):
Also, I had a very life-changing experience when I did my project in Old Testament Theology on the book "The Prophetic Imagination" by Walter Brueggeman. I highly recommend it.
Again, I don't hate the Evangelical church, I am a part of the church.. We are the bride of Christ. My heart is heavy for the American church and my prayers are that God illuminates our hearts with the Living Word (Jesus). Also, I am aware that World Vision renigged on their decision. That's their decision. What I would say to the Progressive church is, please sponsor children. Because that is always more important.
Love you
Laura
"Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it."
This may seem contradictory because I've been posting so much about growing my income with It Works. The reasons I decided to go for it with this network marketing business are that I enjoy helping people and I really believe that the products and the company are truly helping people. I just read about a woman who was sleeping on the floor in a one bedroom apartment with 3 kids who has succeeded with the business and is making more than she ever though possible. It's helping her. What Tim and I discussed is that if we end up making crazy money with It Works and we're debt free with a home of our own (we're seriously considering building a self-sustaining Earthship), we will live on a set amount and give the rest away somehow. You can't feed hungry people with good intentions, and you just need money to help people. Every good non profit and ministry that are truly helping people need money to do it. So I believe that if God blesses people with wealth, they should give it away. That's all I'm going to say about that for now, because my thoughts are going in a different direction for this blog.
That passage from Ezekiel is pretty clear. Sodom was destroyed because they were prosperous and oppressed the poor. I don't think its the prosperity necessarily that did them in, because money in and of itself isn't evil, it's that they hoarded it, became arrogant, and had no regard for the poor. God's heart is for the poor and needy. If you have read the prophets at all, and the teachings of Jesus (Matthew 25 as one strong example), it is absolutely loud and clear. The kingdom of God, the heart of God, the mission of God is for the poor. If you are a professing follower of Jesus, then that should be what is important to you.
The reason I'm talking about this is because my heart has been just so grieved by the World Vision explosion the past week or two. I know a million people have already blogged about this, but I couldn't sleep last night thinking about it. It grieves me because I'm just so passionate about John 17, about the church being one. Tim and I have even considered on numerous occasions joining the Orthodox Church (the original church). I hate the current culture wars. I hate the older and younger generations are becoming more and more divided. But what I'm grieved about most of all is that last week, politics and rules and "issues" became more important to a large group of the church than feeding hungry children. I mean whatever side of the issue you are on as far as the homosexuality dialogue goes, certainly we can agree that taking care of impoverished children trumps all that??? What is that saying to the children whose sponsorships were lost because their sponsors care more about making a "stand" than being the hands and feet of God. It's wrong and it's the opposite of the kingdom. Can we please read the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25 again? In that passage, only thing Jesus cares about is if you help the needy or not.
We've really missed the mark here.
This is what I want to say to the Evangelical church as a whole (and yes I am a Millenial who has stayed a part of the church because I believe there are many good things about my tradition and history and I love the people more than I disagree with certain things): Have you read the prophets at all? Not just the "making roads in a wilderness" parts, and don't get me wrong, those are beautiful passages of God's grace and forgiveness, but why was God angry at Israel all those years? Why did they get taken into exile? Because they were prosperous, arrogant, and oppressed the poor. But these things aren't talked about in Evangelical circles. It's about getting angry about whether or not our entertainment is biblical, but not at issues like human trafficking. It's about being on the "right side" of political issues. It's more about who's in and who is out. But Jesus has invited EVERYONE who will come to the table. His heart is for those that are ostracized, those on the fringes, the poor, the oppressed, the misfits.
I will finish with this passage from Isaiah. It convicts me so much and I am so grieved at my own part in this. When is the last time this passage was your meditation (does this sounds like our country at all?):
Isaiah 58
The Message:
1-3 “Shout! A full-throated shout!
Hold nothing back—a trumpet-blast shout!
Tell my people what’s wrong with their lives,
face my family Jacob with their sins!
They’re busy, busy, busy at worship,
and love studying all about me.
To all appearances they’re a nation of right-living people—
law-abiding, God-honoring.
They ask me, ‘What’s the right thing to do?’
and love having me on their side.
But they also complain,
‘Why do we fast and you don’t look our way?
Why do we humble ourselves and you don’t even notice?’
Hold nothing back—a trumpet-blast shout!
Tell my people what’s wrong with their lives,
face my family Jacob with their sins!
They’re busy, busy, busy at worship,
and love studying all about me.
To all appearances they’re a nation of right-living people—
law-abiding, God-honoring.
They ask me, ‘What’s the right thing to do?’
and love having me on their side.
But they also complain,
‘Why do we fast and you don’t look our way?
Why do we humble ourselves and you don’t even notice?’
3-5 “Well, here’s why:
“The bottom line on your ‘fast days’ is profit.
You drive your employees much too hard.
You fast, but at the same time you bicker and fight.
You fast, but you swing a mean fist.
The kind of fasting you do
won’t get your prayers off the ground.
Do you think this is the kind of fast day I’m after:
a day to show off humility?
To put on a pious long face
and parade around solemnly in black?
Do you call that fasting,
a fast day that I, God, would like?
You drive your employees much too hard.
You fast, but at the same time you bicker and fight.
You fast, but you swing a mean fist.
The kind of fasting you do
won’t get your prayers off the ground.
Do you think this is the kind of fast day I’m after:
a day to show off humility?
To put on a pious long face
and parade around solemnly in black?
Do you call that fasting,
a fast day that I, God, would like?
6-9 “This is the kind of fast day I’m after:
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed,
cancel debts.
What I’m interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry,
inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed,
cancel debts.
What I’m interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry,
inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’
A Full Life in the Emptiest of Places
9-12 “If you get rid of unfair practices,
quit blaming victims,
quit gossiping about other people’s sins,
If you are generous with the hungry
and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,
Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness,
your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.
I will always show you where to go.
I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—
firm muscles, strong bones.
You’ll be like a well-watered garden,
a gurgling spring that never runs dry.
You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew,
rebuild the foundations from out of your past.
You’ll be known as those who can fix anything,
restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate,
make the community livable again.
quit blaming victims,
quit gossiping about other people’s sins,
If you are generous with the hungry
and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,
Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness,
your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.
I will always show you where to go.
I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—
firm muscles, strong bones.
You’ll be like a well-watered garden,
a gurgling spring that never runs dry.
You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew,
rebuild the foundations from out of your past.
You’ll be known as those who can fix anything,
restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate,
make the community livable again.
Again, I don't hate the Evangelical church, I am a part of the church.. We are the bride of Christ. My heart is heavy for the American church and my prayers are that God illuminates our hearts with the Living Word (Jesus). Also, I am aware that World Vision renigged on their decision. That's their decision. What I would say to the Progressive church is, please sponsor children. Because that is always more important.
Love you
Laura
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