As I was flying into LAX last month from a very brief (but very wonderful) trip to Nebraska to surprise my dad for his birthday/retirement party, I sat on a full plane next to a Nigerian man and another guy. Even though I didn't have the window seat, I was still able to look out and see the lights of Los Angeles. They stretched for miles and miles. As I stared in amazement at the sheer number of lights, a string quartet began to play softly in my head and Paul McCartney began to sing:
What am I going to do about it? Watch TV for a few hours every night? Continue to go out on the weekends only focusing on myself, my friends, and having fun? Drive right on by every single homeless person that is just asking for a hot meal?
I'm not saying its wrong to rest or to have fun or to use discernment when someone obviously looks like they're going to buy booze or drugs. But it is wrong to do nothing. It is wrong to claim that we live as children of the Creator when we do nothing to build His Kingdom here on this earth. It is wrong to claim Christ and not follow Him.
I certainly don't have this all figured out and I'm guilty of being lazy and apathetic more often than not. But I pray that I don't continue in my sin and I pray you don't either. I pray we open our eyes to the good we are capable of doing (in Jesus of course) and begin to live our lives now. Live our lives more abundantly for the sake of other people and the sake of the cross.
"Ah, look at all the lonely people
Ah, look at all the lonely people
All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong?"
I thought the number of lights had to equal the number of people in this insane crazy metropolis that is Southern California. And so many are hurting, broken, lonely, needy, angry, poor, rich for that matter. It can seem overwhelming and hopeless at times because there is so much need. So much. A voice in my head, as I was worrying and fretting over all this brokenness said, "What are you gonna do about it?" What am I going to do about it? Watch TV for a few hours every night? Continue to go out on the weekends only focusing on myself, my friends, and having fun? Drive right on by every single homeless person that is just asking for a hot meal?
I'm not saying its wrong to rest or to have fun or to use discernment when someone obviously looks like they're going to buy booze or drugs. But it is wrong to do nothing. It is wrong to claim that we live as children of the Creator when we do nothing to build His Kingdom here on this earth. It is wrong to claim Christ and not follow Him.
I certainly don't have this all figured out and I'm guilty of being lazy and apathetic more often than not. But I pray that I don't continue in my sin and I pray you don't either. I pray we open our eyes to the good we are capable of doing (in Jesus of course) and begin to live our lives now. Live our lives more abundantly for the sake of other people and the sake of the cross.
