Consider these recent headlines:
- Situation in Horn of Africa set to get worse for millions of children
- UN declares famine in two regions of southern Somalia
- First famine of the 21st century in Somalia, East Africa
- 10 million at risk from East Africa drought
- UN: Nearly 17 million need food in Horn of Africa
Now, consider this:
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink …” –Matthew 25:35-36
And this:
As Christians, what responsibility do we have to care for the world’s poor?
And, lastly, this:
“For I was hungry, while you had all you needed. I was thirsty, but you drank bottled water.”
The following is an excerpt from Rich Stearns’ latest article on the Huffington Post, “Reflections on the Horn of Africa Drought: Jesus, Stalin and Casey Anthony”:
“I fear that for many Americans — Christians and people of other faiths or no faith — will devote little time or attention, let alone resources, to the people suffering in the Horn of Africa. Rather they are preoccupied with ‘First World problems’…
Read the full article on HuffingtonPost.com.
Read related posts about the drought and food crisis in East Africa.
Read Matthew 25:31-46 and consider how important caring for “the least among us” is to Jesus. Also, we need to consider who we resemble in the Good Samaritan parable. There is no question that God’s heart breaks when innocent people die of preventable causes. We have the resources…do we have the heart?
I think we are being challenged to be aware. Pretty simple really.
I don’t believe that we have to give up everything to give to the “least of these” but we should take a look at how we spend. If you truly have to choose between rent and food then by all means, you are not in a position to give the extra that you don’t have to give. If though, your choice is lattes and helping the needy or data plans v. saving a life or that new x box game you think you “need” while babies are dying of starvation then you may want to seriously re-think your values. Somethings wrong in a worl where we can’t wait till we’re near a computer to check in on facebook or where our cable service is “necessary” while suffering goes on all around us.
Twisting the words of Christ to condemn those who “have all they need” is dangerous and irresponsible. It is profoundly unwise to put words in God’s mouth. Beyond that, what does Mr. Stearns expect? That all Americans drop everything that’s on their plate (unemployment, financial hardship, etc.) and all work together to end the famine? It is true that we need to do all that we can to aid “the least of these,” but he speaks as if those who are affected by “First World problems” (many of which are not as unimportant as he paints them as being) could solve world hunger if only they stop worrying about themselves.
Also, it is impossible for me to take seriously someone who refers to a Stalin quote as being “powerful and provocative.” Stalin would certainly know about the kind of statistics that his quote refers to, as he was responsible for starving millions of Russian peasants to death.
I agree with some previous comments that I cannot and should not try to bear the world’s burdens. When he was on earth, Jesus lived in a land of great poverty and hardship, but he did not try to address the politics of the day tht left people in such need. He healed a few; he fed a few. He must have walked past many. Like he was, I am restricted by my human body; i cannot be everywhere or help everyone. But now there are also Christians everywhere who can go to the Father on our knees. The world may not see prayer as an answer, but it is for us who believe. I believe his message is about the attitude of the heart and our own priorities. My concern is to know Jesus and in this way to become more like him in the neighbourhood and the land where he has placed me. And i agree that the Huffington Post is not my go-to source.