Monday, August 17, 2009

Hole in Our Gospel

Did you know, that if you earn $50,000 a year, you are among the wealthiest 1% of the world? Did you know that Americans spend $13 billion a year on cosmetic surgery, $58 billion a year on lottery tickets and $65 billion a year on jewelry.....while the estimated cost of universal primary education for children is only $6 billion; the cost to bring clean water to most of the world's poor is $9 billion, and basic health and nutrition to the world would cost $13 billion.
What is wrong with this picture???

I just finished reading this life-changing book written by the President of World Vision, and I want to urge you, if you are a believer, to read it too. Click here to order.

Richard Stearns, President of World Vision, US said,
"I believe that this could very well be looked back on as the sin of our generation. I look at my parents and ask, where were they during the civil rights movement? I look at my grandparents and ask, what were they doing when the holocaust in Europe was occurring with regard to the Jews, and why didn't they speak up? And when we think of our great, great, great-grandparents, we think how could they have sat by and allowed slavery to exist? And I believe that our children and their children, 40 or 50 years from now, are going to ask me, what did you do while 40 million children became orphans in Africa?"

Richard Stearns, president of World Vision, took some liberties with Matthew 25:35 and wrote a paraphrase version for today.
"For I was hungry, while you had all you needed. I was thirsty, but you drank bottled water. I was a stranger, and you wanted me deported. I needed clothes, but you needed more clothes. I was sick, and you pointed out the behaviors that led to my sickness. I was in prison, and you said I was getting what I deserved."

I know the numbers are overwhelming and I know one person can't help them all, but I love what Mother Teresa said, "If you can't feed a hundred people, then just feed one." My 'one' is a little girl in a yellow dress. Who is yours?

4 comments:

BlessedMama said...

Wow, great post! I actually just read a bio on the president of Word Vision that said he gave up a VERY well paying job to go and run that company as a ministy.

Chilling stats and yet....what am I going to do about it?

June Berger said...

My "one" is Bertula in Ethiopia, through World Vision. I'm still praying that my hubby will feel the call to adopt from Africa, but if not, we still have Bertula, her Mom, Dad, three sisters and one brother! We also have Anah and Jonathan home from VN and Guat. :o)

Adeye said...

Oh I have read amazing things about that book. I have to get it. Thanks for the recommendation.

Gayla said...

so glad you loved that book! life-changing, right? EVERYONE who wants to follow Jesus should read that book.