In my everyday busy life it is amazing to me how much I take for granted. I usually define a good day as getting through traffic in a reasonable time without getting honked at, getting lucky enough to have my wife make lunch for me and maybe getting a chance to watch a movie before going to bed. On the other hand a bad day is waking up tired because I stayed up too late watching a movie, getting in late to work without my lunch and not having time to eat a big breakfast so I have to rely on vending machines and Alex’s candy jar. With the exception of an occasional sickness, sports injury and keeping my house clean, these are the trials of my life.
All over the world people are dying of hunger and I’m worried about whether or not I will get stake for dinner, or chicken. We are so incredibly blessed in this country that we forget entirely the suffering of the rest of the world, but what can we do? Why is it that the natural reaction of many people when talking about the starving children around the world is to feel guilty? Is it because this is the line we heard when we didn’t eat our veggies and our mothers told us this story for the first time. I have decided that I will not feel guilty for my blessings but I will, whenever I can, seize the opportunity to give. Today I have such an opportunity.
Throughout my life I have watched those sad commercials of children from third world countries and every time I have thought about giving I am stopped by the nagging sensation that the celebrities and TV commercials are not free. I’m sure the majority of my money would go to help these people but how much would go to pay for overhead. Now usually I would say “Who cares where every penny goes? The point is giving” and that’s true but do I really need a middle man?
Why not help out where I can. There are people all around us in need if we would just “look” and see them. These people have lost their jobs and are struggling to keep their house. Or they are working 3 or 4 jobs trying to pay medical bills or put food on the table. These people don’t always need money they just need some help. My wife and I decided last year to do all we could for those in our area of influence and the results have been astounding. (www.helphonduras.blogspot.com)
So this is my challenge to you, find someone in your neighborhood who lost their job or who recently went through a divorce or serious injury or illness and help them. Go job hunting or clean their house or cut their grass, look with your eyes and open your heart. Do what you can to help those around you and become your own life saving organization.
