Posted by
peripheral on Tuesday, May 19, 2009 8:42:32 AM
From My Perspective - - -
It is obvious we are living in difficult economic times for far too
many people. All too many have been looking to government for a resolve
to their economic plight without realizing government is part of the
problem. It reminds one of the POGO summary – “We Have Met The Enemy
and He Is Us.” This past weekend John King on his CNN telecast – The
State Of The Union – traveled to Alabama and shared the following
vignette from Selma with his viewers: “…Storefront after storefront is
closed, and many of the buildings in the famous photos from the days of
the historic March 1965 events have fallen into disrepair…People are
not buying. People are not spending. Businesses are going out of
business…This is the heart of Alabama's ‘Black Belt,’ and Selma is a
reminder that a recession that has punished so many across America has
hit hardest in places that were already struggling…Statewide,
unemployment in Alabama has doubled in the past year from 4.5 percent
to 9 percent. But here in Dallas County, it is 18.2 percent. In
neighboring Wilcox County, is it more than 22 percent. That is
staggering: One in five people you pass are unemployed…”
In a letter from Mark Earley (Prison Fellowship President), he shares:
“Because of our year-round Angel Tree program, thousands of prisoners'
children attended a Christian summer camp last year. Most of these kids
had never been to camp before. And although they may have arrived feeling alone and uncertain,
they left with the gift of Christ's love and the support of Christians
like you! Here's what Christian summer camps offer Angel Tree kids: A
much-needed escape from an existence often marked by confusion, anger
and loneliness to experience the scenic beauty of God's creation; Fun
activities like swimming, hiking, biking, athletic competitions,
campfires, arts and crafts, nature walks and building friendships;
Meaningful one-on-one attention from caring, Christian adults that can
blossom into year-round mentor-ships; A transformational emphasis on
the Gospel to gain a life-changing understanding of their Heavenly
Father's love through Jesus Christ.” Decreasing revenue may limit and
hinder this valuable and caring ministry to some very need children and
young people!
In a letter from Max Lucado, he shares: “Dadi’s mud-bricked shack seems
even farther away than the 6,000 miles it is. I’m writing in the air
conditioned and carpeted comfort of Detroit’s airport. Was it just
three days ago Denalyn and I sat with Dadi and his family beneath the
thatched roof of his Ethiopian hut? You’d need a four-wheel drive
vehicle to reach them and a skilled team to find them…The needs are
great: 45% of the country subsists on less than $1 a day. A quarter
million children die every year from water-related diseases. Thousands
rely upon dirty rivers or muddy holes for their water supply. Yet for
all their problems, I’ve never seen such smiles. The Ethiopians are a
soft, gentle, hospitable people. They brim with gratitude for the
slightest act of kindness…With the aid of an interpreter, Dadi and I
discussed the one thing we have in common: children. His five children
range in age from 18 months to 18 years. He’s a farmer, but ever since
a plague killed his ox, his soil has gone untilled. He’s making about
80 cents a day as a day laborer. I asked him what a new ox would cost.
About $280. I’ve got seldom-worn blazers that cost more. All he needs
is a helping hand…”
Consider these things with me - - - In Proverbs 24:10-12 we read: “If
you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength! Rescue
those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward
slaughter. If you say, But we knew nothing about this, does not he who
weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it?
Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?” And, in
James 2:14-16 we read: “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims
to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a
brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says
to him, Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed, but does nothing
about his physical needs, what good is it?” We cannot meet all of the
needs – but – we can try to assist with some! Commit yourself to doing
all the good you can, for as many as you can, for as long as you can.
Be discerning and be compassionate! Be wise and be merciful! Be careful
and be generous! Invest prudently in the lives of those who represent
bonafide need!