At the end of the book Radical, David Platt the author, challenges American Christians to stop excusing the lives of excess and luxury that we live, and start living humbly as our Lord did, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." 26,000 children will die today from starvation and preventable disease; to me that is 26,000 Emmaleighs, Bradleys, Kadens, Kamerons, Kevins, Ellas, Aydens, Lilys, Colins, Jacks, Diegos, Ariannas, Brodys.(All my little cousins) We must look at our lives and examine if are just going to tell people about the gospel or if we are going to live it as well? Living the gospel of Christ will require us to perhaps give up our morning coffee trips to Starbucks, that new flat screen TV ,or the bigger house we have been saving up for, and instead we might use that extra money to feed children in India, free a young girl in Moldova from the sex slave trade industry, or give a family in Africa life saving immunizations.
Yes, God has blessed us richly in the US, but do we really believe that He has done this simply for us to buy more things? Read this and tell me what you think the answer is. "But if someone who is supposed to be a Christian has money enough to live well, and sees a brother in need, and won't help him–how can God's love be within him ? Little children, let us stop just saying we love people; let us really love them, and show it by our actions. Then we will know for sure, by our actions, that we are on God's side, and our consciences will be clear, even when we stand before the Lord."1 John 3: 17-19 My question to myself as well as to all who read this is, will we die to our greed for bigger houses, nicer cars, more clothes, and whatever other worldly things we desire and instead deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him?
We will not earn our salvation from doing these things, for that has been given to us freely by the blood of Christ, but if we have been washed clean and made new in Him, how can we not want to give up what we have to bless others? I have given money and things before, but it never really hurt me, it wasn't a sacrifice; I did not give like the poor widow who gives a penny even though that is all she has. Pray that I may give to help those in need, even if it hurts or seems radical at the time. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Luke 12 32-34) Where is your heart?
