What I'm Reading: The Hole in Our Gospel

I love to read.

Love. it.

I read whenever I can, and these days that usually means: when I climb into bed at night...and when I'm on the treadmill in the morning.

And during my treadmill time lately, this is what I've been reading:

The Hole in Our Gospel, by Richard Stearns



I've been teary-eyed on the treadmill...which could be very dangerous!

This book is also very dangerous in that it is disturbing, challenging...and is threatening to knock me right off my comfortable throne in Denial, where I love to live.

We are called - by Jesus - to love our neighbors as ourselves.

And my neighbors are hurting.

My neighbors in Ethiopia are hurting. My neighbors in Haiti are hurting. My neighbors in Uganda are hurting. My neighbors in (insert the name of any country, including the U.S.)...are hurting.

Unlike Christians of past generations who didn't have the technology we do today...I can't deny knowing about those hurting around me.

I want to deny knowing. My favorite position of all time is with my head in the sand.

I want to stay in my nice, cozy, small-by-American-standards, huge-by-any-other-country's-standards house, with my nicely-dressed, well-fed, very blessed family and not worry about them.

"Let their government take care of them." (Our Orphan Awareness ministry has, unfortunately, actually heard this at our church.)

I don't remember reading that anywhere in the bible.

I have about one million thoughts swirling around in my head, which would amount to Preaching to the Choir, but I don't want to do that...AND naptime is almost over, so I will conclude with this thought, that I do recall reading in the bible:

If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:17-18)