This is a season of want, need and have. Many of the wants are deep desires for this or that, other wants are good wants. There are lots of needs this year. Well, there really are probably no more needs on a global scale than usual, its just that the needs are closer to home for most people in the West than usual. Folks in the West are used to being able to look away from need because of all they have, but right now the media is keeping anyone, who is watching or reading, posted on the needs around them. But in the developing world, in the undeveloped world, these needs are ever present. I heard a story a minute ago… it caused me to be sad… A poor boy goes to a kitchen door of a woman and asks “Auntie, please may I have a bowl rice?” The woman, holding a pot of rice in her hand, slaps him on the cheek with the rice spoon, “Get out here, urchin” she says. As he turns his cheek, his fingers grab the grains of sticky cooked rice stuck to his cheek and he eats them. He looks at her and says “Auntie, please may I have some more on the other side?”
When I heard that, I was saddened.
I was reminded that this kind of poverty is the norm in much of the world. I remembered the young couple who wandered into a city with little money and slept in a barn with a bunch of animals.
A guy I know wrote on his Facebook status… “every breath leaves me one less to my last”
I was saddened by this too.
I saw a guy I have not seen in a long time. He works with the homeless. Jesus (who was born in the barn) has called him to this amazing work of justice here in the West.
I’m glad that the baby in that barn was born.
I’m glad that he came to bring hope to people of poverty – physical and spiritual – like the boy who wanted rice and the guy who seems to be counting his breaths.
Joy is here… but those of us who have embraced it need to be busy with showing love and joy to the poor, like my friend who is building a shelter for the homeless here among the wealthy.
Joy to the world. He came to bring joy. He gave us joy to give.
kingdom travelin' 