Ah, America, the land of the free … the land of prosperity … the land where we buy and consume until our possessions possess us, just because we can. The land where we worship the god of economic success, the god of materialism, the god called the American Dream (if you haven’t already read Shane Claiborne’s book, you NEED to!)
Then, consider Zambia, Africa where Chikumbuso and Alliance for Children Everywhere are ministering to the poor, orphans & widows –
Then, consider Zambia, Africa where Chikumbuso and Alliance for Children Everywhere are ministering to the poor, orphans & widows –
Two crippling forces grip Zambians ….
Poverty -
With a population of 10 million, 80% live on less than $1.00 a day.
Almost half of Zambia’s children are so malnourished their growth has been stunted.
34% of primary aged BOYS and 52% primary GIRLS are NOT in school.
75% of young people will never get beyond the seventh grade.
HIV / AIDS
One in five Zambians is infected with HIV and will likely die from having AIDS.
The majority of those who die from AIDS are the parents of dependent children.
Average life expectancy in Zambia has dropped to just 33 years.
Over 1.2 million children are orphans; that is 23% of all of Zambia’s children, which makes Zambia the nation with the highest number of orphans as a percent of the population.
Check out http://www.childreneverywhere.org/, they are doing an amazing ministry in Zambia.
As I’ve been reading the Gospels, I thought I’d highlight the passages where Jesus spoke directly about money and riches. Here’s what I found in Matthew alone.
In the sermon on the mount, Jesus says in Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also... Matt 6:24 "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
In the parable of the sower, Jesus explains in Matthew 13:22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.
Matthew 16:24-26 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?
Then, there’s the story of the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:21-30 Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." When the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Then Peter said in reply, "See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?" Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
Not only has God been working in our hearts as He grows in us –
a heart for orphans in a growing love for Africa
a heart to love our American neighbor through church planting
but also a heart to love Him far more deeply than money and riches
How does that flesh out for us? Let’s just say – we are purging. We’ve always purged, as we’ve moved 9 times in 9 years, we’ve been forced to purge. But now, we’re purging not because we’re forced to do so, but because we feel convicted that we should! We are not only purging the things we don’t want, but the things we do want. As Jesus told the rich young ruler, “Sell what you possess and give to the poor”, we are selling what we can and will give away even more. With the profits, we plan to sponsor an orphan through Chikumbuso as well as send them care packages and money to help their ministry. And should God continue to grow in us the desire to adopt a child (or two) from Africa, we will save what we sell to be able to do that one day.
It feels good, so good, to purge and free ourselves from these THINGS that we just don’t need, maybe want, but don’t need.
Poverty -
With a population of 10 million, 80% live on less than $1.00 a day.
Almost half of Zambia’s children are so malnourished their growth has been stunted.
34% of primary aged BOYS and 52% primary GIRLS are NOT in school.
75% of young people will never get beyond the seventh grade.
HIV / AIDS
One in five Zambians is infected with HIV and will likely die from having AIDS.
The majority of those who die from AIDS are the parents of dependent children.
Average life expectancy in Zambia has dropped to just 33 years.
Over 1.2 million children are orphans; that is 23% of all of Zambia’s children, which makes Zambia the nation with the highest number of orphans as a percent of the population.
Check out http://www.childreneverywhere.org/, they are doing an amazing ministry in Zambia.
As I’ve been reading the Gospels, I thought I’d highlight the passages where Jesus spoke directly about money and riches. Here’s what I found in Matthew alone.
In the sermon on the mount, Jesus says in Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also... Matt 6:24 "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
In the parable of the sower, Jesus explains in Matthew 13:22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.
Matthew 16:24-26 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?
Then, there’s the story of the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:21-30 Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." When the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Then Peter said in reply, "See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?" Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
Not only has God been working in our hearts as He grows in us –
a heart for orphans in a growing love for Africa
a heart to love our American neighbor through church planting
but also a heart to love Him far more deeply than money and riches
How does that flesh out for us? Let’s just say – we are purging. We’ve always purged, as we’ve moved 9 times in 9 years, we’ve been forced to purge. But now, we’re purging not because we’re forced to do so, but because we feel convicted that we should! We are not only purging the things we don’t want, but the things we do want. As Jesus told the rich young ruler, “Sell what you possess and give to the poor”, we are selling what we can and will give away even more. With the profits, we plan to sponsor an orphan through Chikumbuso as well as send them care packages and money to help their ministry. And should God continue to grow in us the desire to adopt a child (or two) from Africa, we will save what we sell to be able to do that one day.
It feels good, so good, to purge and free ourselves from these THINGS that we just don’t need, maybe want, but don’t need.
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