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My, What Big Is You Have!
I made the mistake of listeningreally listeningto myself
wishing the other day, and I thought (paraphrasing Red Riding
Hood's comment to her wolfish grandmother), "My, what big "I's
you have!"
I wanted a newer car (a 1987) with a tapedeck; I wanted new
siding and insulation for the back part of the house. I wanted a
new mattress for our bed, to replace the sagging, split and
lumpy one we had had for five years. (We bought it used for
fifty dollars.) I wanted relief for Archie's paining back and
arm. I wantedwell, the list went on.
Then I realized what an ingrate I was. I have a nice little car,
a comfortable home, a bed to lie on and a supply of food. I have
a husband whose love, compassion and sensitivity are second to
none . We have our animals (pets all, from the dogs, cats and
raccoon to the horses, goats and chickens) and our neighbours
and friends. Once again, the list went on.
Am I really so different from you? Do you too find yourself
focusing on what you want, instead of thanking God for what you
Small ThingsWhen my dad was nearing the end of his life he began searching his heart to see if there ..... have already? Do you, too, forget the millions of souls on our
weary planet who could live for a week on your daily diet? Do
you, too, sometimes think that because you live in a Western
society, you are entitled to share an affluent lifestyle? Do
you, too, think that a camcorder is a need? a remote for your
television, a necessity? a top-fashion outfit a prerequisite to
your happiness?
If so, I beg you to stop with me a while, and look around at
where we are right now. We are dwelling in a fool's paradise,
ignoring Lazarus at our gateLazarus in the form of street
children, outcasts, and the poverty-stricken individuals who
make their homes under bridges and in subway stations. These
people are our burden. Our mandate from the Lord is to share our
possessions with them; to comfort and encourage them; to ease
their suffering in whatever way we can.
We live in troubled times. We cannot ignore the sorrow around
us. We must be like the Good Samaritan, if we would follow
Christ.
We cannot turn our eyes inward to see what we would like to
havewe must rather open our eyes outward, to see what they MUST
have to live.
We must indeed have big eyesbig to see, and big with
compassionate tears. We must indeed have big I'sI can do this
little bit to help; I can do that little bit to help, and I will
You Think You're Radical?'Think You're Radical, Think Again' Is it radical to raise your hands in worship to God' Is it radical to pray out ..... do what I can. Thus will our I's serve us.
I pray that our returning Lord will not find us "seeing, but
perceiving not" the need around us. I pray that our returning
Lord will not find us sulking in a fit of gloom because our
pride is hurt. I pray that as we turn to others to share His
love and bounty, we will find such peace that our eyes will see
His face in all we help.
"Even so, come, Lord Jesus" but until You do, we shall do what
You would have us do.
Let us do all we can, as we can, and pray that others will join
us as we do.
[Note: The above article was written close to a decade ago, but
unfortunately hasn't lost any of its immediacy in the
intervening years. As a society we're *still* putting things
before people's needs far too often in our daily lives... aren't
we? - DEH]
Should Christians Judge?The typical liberal misunderstanding of the Christian religion is that Christians shouldn't judge .....
About the author:
Doris Howie is a freelance author whose writings have appeared
in newspapers and magazines around the world for two decades
now, but her greatest joy is sharing on-line what God has done
AND IS DOING through her life, on OHzone.net
(http://www.ohzone.net). Mrs. Howie and her beloved husband
Archie - both born-again Christians - live in Ontario, Canada.
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