Musings then and after
Ipod, Iphone, droid, laptop. Mustang, Honda, or Charger. Burger King, McDonalds, Chillis. What are we going to do Friday night? Go to a movie, out to eat, stay home and watch T.V., watch a recorded show, or Netflex. All these choices. So many things to fuss about or decide on. How do we do it?
In Honduras, they reminded us of a way. You quickly get a new perspective and are reminded what life is really like in 2/3 of the rest of the world, and maybe some answers for our complicated, harried world here in the States. Their life is simple. There are far fewer choices, and the choices they have are often not as attractive as we have.
They have daily choices like black beans with or without rice tonight, since we had rice last night? Should I hunt for some more discarded scrap tin for my roof today or just hope it doesn't rain? Shall we sit inside and visit or outside and visit in the "air conditioning"? Do I want to walk up the hill 1/4 mile with my 3 gallon bucket to get water three times now or spread it out as I need it for laundry and supper? Should I take a chance now and go on to the store or wait till my brother comes home, so it will be safer? Last but not least, should I spend 12 hours a day trying to work odd jobs so I can get some newer clothes for my kids, or just go to the dump again and find what they need?
I guess you could say we have it made here in the U.S. Some would even say we are kind of spoiled. We are a society (myself included), that is not very content. We bore easily. We have to have more "stuff" and we like to be busy doing something. Sophisticated, modern, and high tech are not synonymous with better life or happiness. We seem to think we are better off, and I guess we are when it comes to food, money, housing, and health care.
What if we have just gotten used to that, what if we have been seduced into thinking that is what makes us happy. Maybe we have gotten so "sophisticated" and so good at rationalizing that the things that really matter have been crowded out. The simple things are looked down upon or unimportant. Maybe we have gotten so used to (addicted) to our stuff that we have built up a tolerance for it, so we have to keep getting more to satisfy our desires. Then at times we crash, get angry or disillusioned when we can't get the "stuff" we have to have. Or even worse, our stuff breaks down or an updated version comes out.
Jesus said "blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom, of heaven. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled." Jesus also stated, "Don't store up treasures for yourself on earth because you'll lose it, but store up treasures in heaven because where your treasure is your heart will be there, too.
There are plenty of other verses, but we've heard them all plenty of times, even if we have tuned them out or come up with an explanation that makes them less challenging. I'm including myself in that position, too, because every time I go to a less fortunate place, I'm reminded of these things. But it is easy to put the thoughts aside and get back into my comfortable routine. How can we break through this and stay motivated and on track with doing the simpler way of life, the way of spending time just helping people here, in our day to day lives? How can we keep from just going through the motions of church life and be out there doing more things that really matter? I need to learn a way to want what I want, less, at least until what I want is the more of what Jesus wants. I wish I had an answer, but all I can do is try one more time--ask God to help me to see what I need to be doing to get there and the courage and support to do it, and then keep doing it. Of course, the more I study Jesus and his attitude and interactions with people, the more my eyes will be opened too. It’s simple to study, but hard to make the time for.
If we, at church, spent less time straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel, we would have so much more time and enthusiasm for the ministry of Jesus. We would have more time for meeting the needs of the community we live in, and "feeding His sheep" as He wanted us to.
Mark and Lori Connell, and the other workers in Honduras, thanks for not just being a little candle there but being a "Torch" on a hill to blaze brightly not only in Honduras, but a blaze to light the path for others to walk down.
