Doing Good?

Over the last few months as I have been researching organizations, I have learned a great deal. Most of it has been very encouraging. More than once, I have been moved to tears by stories of people who are living their lives for the gospel. People who do not care about glory. People who do not see the poor, orphaned and widow as projects or causes, but instead, as valuable souls in need of a Savior. People who love because Christ loves them. People who creatively find ways to meet great physical needs with dignity and grace while pointing the ones they are serving to the only One who can meet their spiritual needs. 

Some of the research has been discouraging. John Adams once said "Facts are stubborn things." The facts, in this case, show that sometimes aid does more harm than good. Some organizations have short sighted business models that merely put band-aids on gaping wounds. Occasionally people are driven by selfish motives. Sometimes short term trips undo years of work by missionaries because participants come in behaving rudely, ignoring the culture of the ones they are serving or promising far more than they can deliver leaving hurt and pain in their wake. 

As an over-thinker and a realist, the negative statistics and research can stir up a kind of paralysis of action or even a cynicism in me that is unhealthy. Those stubborn facts can distract me from seeing what's important.

This week I've been mulling over the following questions, "What's the solution? How can I be sure that what I'm doing is making an eternal difference?"

These are the steps I keep coming to over and over again.

Pray. Listen. Act.


Pray- 
*For those suffering
*For guidance in how to best use our talents and abilities to serve

Listen-
*Stay in His word
*Be still and quiet

Act-
*Love God
*Love People- whatever that looks like. It may be shopping with a conscience, visiting your neighbor, really engaging with our own family, tutoring school children, working in a homeless shelter, sponsoring a child through Compassion or World Vision, adopting or moving out of the country to serve others. It might be a huge step or it might be small and seemingly insignificant. It is never insignificant.
*Research. Do the companies or organizations I desire to work with have the same values? How will my time and resources best be used? Is Christ at the center?
*Obey- I am convinced our calling is as unique as each of us. Spending time competing with others or desiring their journey, robs us of the joy that comes from living the journey He has for us.

All this research is stretching me. I'm thankful for that. There are so many different ways to love, fight injustice and be His hands and feet. May God grant us the strength and wisdom to embrace the way He has for us.

A different kind of blog (at least for me.)

I have a love/hate relationship with blogging. I love having my blog to parse out my thoughts and feelings, but I struggle with just "letting the chips fall where they may". I've always had a little war going on inside me. On one side, I desire to be the real me on my blog (and in life). On the other side, being real means taking the risk of being disliked or misunderstood, neither of which appeal to me.  In other words, blogging is not easy for me. 

So, it came as a surprise to me back in October when I had the idea of starting a new blog. I knew immediately what I should name it, which was really something since it took me days to name my other one. I also knew exactly what I was supposed to do with it. Yet, I stalled because I listened to the doubts that sprang up- "Do we really need another blog about injustice?"  "I'm a mediocre writer, at best.", etc.  But, I couldn't get away from knowing that this was what I needed to do. When I came to terms with that, I started getting excited.

Here's the goal for this new blog...

For each week of 2012, I will highlight a Christian Injustice fighting organization. Orphan Care, adoption, community building, etc. The goal is to identify each company's mission, purpose, the difference they are making and the ways that people can get involved. It's kind of like a Julie and Julia kind of concept, without the foie gras or the messy kitchen. :)

My prayer for the readers of this blog is that each person will find an organization that resonates with them and can then find a way to get involved in fighting injustice in the way God has planned for them.
 
There can be the temptation when we help others living in poverty to see ourselves as the rescuers. True religion that we see in James 1:27 is not done out of duty or charity or guilt. It requires a pure heart and carefully examined motives. We are not the rescuers. We are not any one's salvation. We, as believers, are simply the hands and feet of Jesus. We get to bring the good news of the gospel that changes hearts, motivations and lives. The purification of the heart that comes with salvation is the only thing that will bring real change in the world. The "poor" that God calls us to minister to are real people, with amazing strength, hopes and dreams, beautiful people with stories of endurance and character.  May we never see them as only pictures on a billboard or images from a Sally Struther's commerical.