Extend Love - Build More 

I realize I create an interesting picture as I sit in this “shack” typing away on a laptop or scanning my Blackberry phone for messages and staying with the updates. It’s like thinking we can make someone’s poverty go away by telling them to get rid of their cable or Dish network. I would love to see someone tell the 70 year old woman pretty much confined to her home, living by herself, that she would have more money if she would drop her cable…really???? Here is an interesting picture…when I was in Haiti…people were living in tents and squalor…but it seemed everyone had a cell phone. Is this misspending? A misuse of resources?  Poor planning? Maybe but maybe not. What if Maslow when he developed his pyramid of the hierarchy of needs had it wrong?

You see, Maslow contends that Physiological needs are first and at the bottom rung-and yes, without food or water…we will die…but he places Social Needs and Love as the third tier. I think in the modern scientific world and thinking of “categorizing” he missed something. I think “connection” and love are right along with food/water and physiological needs. Now, I’m no sociologist but I’ve seen the poorest of the poor who will sacrifice a lot to stay connected. Then there was the study of orphan children who died faster when they did not receive human touch. Connections. Maybe they are part of the bottom rung with physiological needs. And what does that mean practically? That there is something to be said for listening and understanding others.

In the western world, we are most likely over-connected. Now, I’m about to take a swing at what we like to call a “Christian nation.” So, don’t take it personally and if it affects you then this maybe a topic for your prayer life. Here it goes, next time you walk into Books-a-Million, go to the religion section and count how many different translations of the Bibles there are. Include study Bibles and, the what I like to call “the personalized to my own liking Bibles”-i.e. men’s Bibles, women’s Bibles, leadership Bibles, and I imagine there is probably a food Bible. Get your count. Now, next time you are in church select 10 people and ask them if they have read the entire Bible through and how often.  Ask yourself that same question. My contention is that overstimulation or overabundance will eventually turn us away from that very thing we need. We have variety and yet we are still hungry and missing the main course.

Here is another perspective and going back to “the voice”. Ready…reflect on the type of sermons you have heard this year. I imagine a large amount is about “being better”; being a better father, mother, wife, parent, financial steward, nice person…etc. Although we hear “it’s not about us” our preachers tend to still preach that it IS all about us. And here finally is my point. There are over 2050 verses in the Bible that deal with poverty, justice, and taking care of others. In fact 1 out of 18 verses deal with the poor-the second largest topic in the scriptures. But how many sermons do we hear about actually FOLLOWING Christ- giving away our stuff versus being entitled to “God’s Blessings” which we conveniently interpret as stuff-I make more money therefore I need a bigger car, house, boat, gun, toys whatever. Caring for the poor, ensuring justice, and allowing the Voice of God permeate our culture takes the far back row and seems to be a “call” for someone else. Which is why in that current mindset and framework we never deal with the poor around us-not because we can’t but because we won’t and we really don’t want to.  We won’t make the necessary changes and sacrifices and therefore it’s just like the scriptures say…poverty is a byproduct of greed.  Christians and non-Christian alike are guilty. Non Christians may not know better-Christians do but make excuses that giving to the poor isn’t REALLY what Jesus meant. And then we go on shopping….

So what “voices” do we hear and what are we listening too? Are we all grappling with entitlement issues? Poor, middle class, wealth…believing God owes us? We stick our hands out in prayer asking God, “What have You done for me lately?” but what if God is turning that question back on us?

Enough for my soap box-I’m writing on an expensive laptop with my Blackberry beside me-I’m equally guilty…Here’s the point. Everyone wants to be connected. We ALL share that as humanity and it may be as important to us as food and water. The poor have a voice but is anyone listening? When we help others, everyone is lifted. When a smart kid befriends a kid who doesn’t know as much, the smart kid doesn’t become “less smart” over time- no, the weaker kid gets better. So, go find someone struggling who is low income or hurting. Develop a friendship-challenge your kids this way-they will only get better if you guide them. And we’ll all get better. Then I wonder if our focus will shift from ourselves to others. And, if you’ve never read your Bible all the way through, maybe now is the time and see for yourself what it really says consistently.

A few thoughts from the box….