Ponderings of a Western Christian

Last Sunday Reverend Issac Shaw spoke to our Peace Church congregation.
Whoa!

He is a Christian pastor and from New Delhi, India, a native of India, who is dedicated to spreading the hope of the Gospel of Jesus to Northern India. This region is full of the poor and homeless, and populated by people of Hindu & Muslim faiths. This area makes the Western culture look extravagant to excess. Christians in this region of the world are in the minority and are persecuted and martyred daily.

This is a hard fact to wrap around my Westernized mindset, where I'm surrounded by people who have much, who strive to get more, and, honestly, I'm right in foray with them; I do love to buy and want so many things:(!

I'm addicted to HGTV and all their make-over home shows. But lately it seems that people blessed with lovely homes are willing to spend thousands of dollars to have a 'more lovely' home:(
Success breeds excess, doesn't it?

Issac challenged us, tried to shake up our comfort zone, to realize the North American church lives in the midst of unbelievable blessings that few others in the world have and can only dream of. We, the Western church, are 'called' to be generous with our wealth and/or time and to pray for/ or go to those that are living in poverty and hopelessness in order to love them in Jesus' name and care for them.


Jesus chose to live among the common people, ministering to the poor & downtrodden, those forgotten by the world.

Saying all that, Cary/Apex/Morrisville, for the most part quite affluent, is filled with needy, desperate, people as well. Many of us live in luxury compared to Northern India and other countries of the Third World, but we struggle with hopelessness & despair in our midst; broken relationships, broken dreams, health issues, loneliness, struggles of old age & living on an income that will not stretch, abuse, neglect, mental health problems galore---should I go on??

Yet God is able to use us wherever He desires. The only thing Christians are called to do is to be available to be used by Him & to love those around us.

Am I listening?
Am I loving others?
What are my priorities?

Rev. Shaw, you did rock me.