If you haven’t watched the news lately, I don’t recommend that you start doing it now. It’s devastating to hear about the savagery done everywhere in the world. It’s heartbreaking to see children, women, and men killed and for what? People are being murdered for being Christian, for being Jewish, for being black, for being white, for being homosexual, for being a woman, for being a man…for not agreeing with the people that are killing people. Not only is there death from human beings but, there are also natural disasters that have killed and are displacing individuals from their homes. If I see hashtags with #________livesmatter it infuriates me because all lives matter.
Gang mentality is all around us, whether it be a gang of people who kill randomly for religious sake in the Middle East, the United Kingdom or the United States or people who kill to gain membership anywhere they will be accepted. People are lost. People have lost respect for others…for life.
You’re probably thinking why is this childless, chicken owner discussing this?
People have lost compassion….consumed with the daily routine. Homes and families are broken and no one is talking about a fix for any of this. We seem to be in defense mode and not offense mode. We can’t rely on government to “fix” this. How can this be remedied unless we do something…unless we talk about it? It seems that the lost will fall in line with anyone who offers them a place, a home….anything for a place, any place for a sense of belonging, even if it’s not a healthy environment. That’s why this childless, chicken owner is discussing this.
Recently I watched an episode on television about a successful owner of a chain of fitness facilities. As he spoke about his business it resonated to me as a human being with values and respect on this earth.
He said things like:
Get ready. Challenge yourself everyday. Create a new breed of thinking. Use simple functional movements. Do 25 repetitions at a time. Core strength is important. Don’t try to grow a business, but do the right things for the right reasons. Drop in on affiliates at random times. Training videos are free. There is no recruiting necessary because people want to win. Stay in your chair and you’ll be sure to be hurt.
Now, you may think that by adding this it’s about being physically fit. While that’s an important part of life, this is about being ready for the challenge of life outside of our comfort zone. It’s time to get radical about loving on purpose on this earth. Get radical about how you’re going to do this. This is more than learning a scripture here and there. It’s more than attending a church building. This is larger than catch phrases. It means not comparing ourselves with each other. It’s looking for each opportunity to share compassion and a love we are so freely given, even when we don’t “feel” like it.
Feelings aren’t facts, by the way.
You do have a purpose. Have you a clue what your purpose is while you’re here but for a short time? It matters not what your age. You may make a difference in someone’s life. In fact, you may save a life because of your age and wisdom. What is stopping you from showing compassion to someone who needs you? Is it time? Do you think you can’t do it? You don’t feel like it? Well, wake up. You don’t have to know what your purpose is to show compassion or to love one another. Get a little uncomfortable. Get out of your chair or surely you will be lonely and you’re only hurting yourself.
Personally, I know what gifts I have been given. I use them as much as possible and I give God the glory for all of those gifts he loaned me. (You have these too!) When I met a woman six years ago who was a thorn in my side, I would try to avoid her at all costs. She showed up at my home at the most inappropriate times. She is also raising her granddaughter and she’d drop her at my home…unexpectedly. Two years ago this child’s mother died of a drug overdose. My attitude changed. All of the sudden, I began to tutor her for school. Word got out that I was helping her and now, there are three little girls with no mom or dad. God knew what I needed and he knew what they needed. Did I know this was part of my purpose? Not really. I didn’t really want to do it. I was uncomfortable because I wasn’t the best student myself. BUT GOD has me studying and being loved by these little hearts. I believe they benefit. They seem to look forward to our meetings. And, darn it, we have them around sometimes when we aren’t doing schoolwork. So my purpose has been to mentor these angels, and it comes at a time when physically I am at my weakest. I don’t believe that is a mistake.
Finding your purpose may also mean it’s an opportunity to have a relationship with God that is as natural as “breath” or “wind”. (“Holy Spirit” in Hebrew means “wind” and in Greek means “breath”.) It means intentionally giving God time each day and allowing him to control our lives. (Think of it as your daily repetitions! Exercise each of your muscles God gives us. There are at least 25 of them! Prayer, love, forgiveness, time, meditation…even when you don’t “feel” like it.)
(If you don’t have a relationship with God, maybe it’s a time to explore one with him. Maybe you’ve thought it was a lot of hocus pocus, but what if you’re wrong? I pray that if you want to get a little uncomfortable in order to know who Jesus is and what he did for you, I am glad to discuss it with you. What’s stopping you? It’s free. There’s no obligation, but there is a responsibility that comes with it…naturally and you will want to love because of the love given to you.)
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him will have everlasting life.” – John 3:16
Being a child of God, we will surely be hurt if we “stay in our chair”. Today we live in a world where more than not, people are looking for:
love, acceptance, redemption, followers, likers, and they often find it in the wrong places. Sometimes they seem to be the most unlovable people we meet, when truly they are just hurt or hurting people. The last place they want to be is in a church building to be judged. The last place they want to be is where they aren’t accepted for who they are right now. How can we change ourselves to create a door for them to know God…to know His love and to accept his love and gift of eternal life? How may their life change, if we simply get out of our comfort zone? Are we consciously waking each day to awaken the Holy Spirit inside each one of us who is his child?
Someone invited Naeem Fazal to church. He had recently moved to the United States as a Muslim. He encapsulates his journey to Christianity in his book “Ex-Muslim”. His parents rejected him. They were not happy, as you may imagine. Years later his parents moved from Kuwait to the United States and live with him. They scorned him. They did their daily prayers and he is ridiculed daily in his own home. His mother often asked him questions about ‘his Jesus”. He admits that it is through this challenge that he has learned more and become stronger in his faith in God, as a Christian. In fact, the Holy Spirit moves him, he admits.
“For as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 3:18-20
“You will have troubles in this world, but God overcame the world.”-John 16:33
This isn’t a debate about faith and or works. This is meant to cause a commotion in your core. Do you fight that direction from above or that direction from your gut? What voice do you give to those in need? What does the Bible speak to you after you pray? Do you hear from the Holy Spirit? Do you discuss your challenges with a fellow believer? How do you discern what is from the Holy Spirit? What challenges you to move…to get out of that chair? What will you do?
Transformed…
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” –Romans 12:2
In fact, God is our provider. As a Christian, God will renew us and transform us…He always provides. He never promised a life without problems. I have had my share of problems. (Thank you for reminding me…I’ve seen good come from it and I’ve learned from it! Thank you for asking!) Transformation and provision from God may not look like what we think. If you didn’t have a car, you’d likely find a ride. If you didn’t have a phone, you would find a way to communicate or you may get a phone later. You may think you’re on a “fixed income” but when someone treats you to dinner, is that not a bonus? If you give your last twenty dollars to someone in need, will you not receive a blessing ten fold? How much more may we give in love? God always provides. We ask and we will receive. Why not share what is given us with those who truly need?
Much of our time is put into being comfortable. It’s not a sin to be comfortable but what if we spent as much time to think outside of this earthly mold? Today, challenge yourself to think with God’s eternal perspective. What does your room look like in heaven? Dream God sized dreams. Pray for his direction to take you out of your comfort chair today, to negate our “feelings” and say hello to conviction and repetition of God’s love. Like waves that hit the shores, I pray that you will spread the news of compassion, that you will see that there are lives outside of our immediate family who want to be loved. Will you get out of that chair for 25 repetitions…people who may need help?
But first, spend time with God. Make that the first repetition for the day. Pray for his guidance, with thanksgiving because love never fails.
“Do not be anxious about anything but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”-Philippians 4:6
Will you take that challenge to get uncomfortable today? If you do, I want to hear from you. I’m thankful for this shake-up and I pray that we may join together to show compassion. I pray that all lives matter and that we may come together to know what is true….to show love and compassion. Lets be agents for change.
Hi, My name is Summer and I am a Christian Warrior.
Who are you? Comment here with solutions….I am not enough but together, we may have solutions.
Chick Can Do 