My heart is not moved nor my hands inspired to act by feelings of guilt. Rarely do I do something because I feel guilty. I don’t really know that I’ve felt guilty that much actually. Kind of crazy.

Maybe this is because when I am deeply convicted by God that something I am doing or not doing needs to change in order to come in line with His heart and will… I CAN’T sit on it. I have to act.

This week, the face poverty has been cemented in my heart and mind through the words I’ve read, the images I’ve seen, and the people I’ve touched. Quite simply, I’ve moved beyond the thought that “it isn’t right that some people have so little,” to a heartfelt understanding that this breaks the Lord’s heart. And it’s breaking mine. I can’t sit on it, tune it out, or turn my head and look away. My heart won’t allow it. God’s beloved children are crying out and my ears have been opened.

I have to act.

I spent the last few days with child advocates in Minnesota. They shared powerful and inspiring stories of how they have seen hope obliterate poverty. (It’s a natural occurrence when we’re together.) Their name is Repairer of Broken Walls and I believe they fill the Father’s heart with joy. There will come a time when their work is done.

This is gonna sound anything but Christian.

I believe that any and every time I make a decision that moves me away from wealth and closer to “enough” I help someone move away from poverty and closer to “enough.” Let’s call it Christian Karma. Smirk. I know there’s no way to quantify this but I believe it. At the minimum, it gets my eyes off me and onto God and others in a concrete way.
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I suffer from “poverty of too much” which reflects a poverty in my soul.
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Every aspect of poverty is spiritual.

Yesterday, I spent a tiny bit of time with the gentleman who is interviewed in this chapter. This was the second time we met and I was a lilttle less awkward this time. (I think.) I’m amazed at the Lord’s work through him. He’s a hero and he reminds me of Christ. When I combat poverty with hope I act like Christ, too. This is a priestly function–bringing people (in his case, children) before God.

I have an ever growing understanding and appreciation for Compassion International and their mission of releasing children from poverty in Jesus name.

The message of poverty is , “I don’t matter. Nothing’s going to change for me.” Ultimately it’s hopelessness. That’s why I argue that the most strategic and loving thing you can do to fight poverty is to bring a child to her heavenly Father. It gives that child worth and a reason to hope.

~Dr. Wess Stafford, president Compassion International

By reaching out to a child, I can in some small way break the cycle of poverty. What an amazing reality!

Speaking of poverty of the soul…how about this mind blowing thought. That there is another kind of poverty. The poverty of too much.

“I am in the greatest poverty, a poverty of my soul, when I eat my fill and lounge on my couch, while thinking only fleetingly of others not as materially blessed as I have been. My poverty is real when my love is deadened, medicated, frozen too much. And my soul is maybe in even more danger than those in the poverty of too little.”

I’m chewing on this one…along with the ways in which the enemy influences poverty. He whispers to those in poverty “your not worth it”. And he whispers to the rest of us, “you are powerless to change the world”.

I am beginning to think otherwise….

I am encouraged that I can make a difference. For so long I’ve felt almost crippled by the knowledge that people suffer so painfully and hopelessly, and the thought that there is nothing I could possibly do to change that.

I can create change. I can make a difference. I may not be able to give as much as, say Oprah (bad example)…but what I can give can make a big difference to the people I touch. I can also teach my children-so that as they grow they’ll not only be aware of the poor, but have hearts that bleed compassion for them. They can change the world. In fact, I’ve started telling them that. When they lay down their rights for another, or give to a friend, or comfort their sibling-their hearts are filling up with more and more of Christ’s love. And with Christ’s love they can change the world.

And teaching this to my 4 sweet children, young as they are, encourages me that-Hope lives.

Undoubtedly my favorite chapter so far though I struggle to express why.

Truly, deeply, audaciously. Hope lives.

My concept of poverty has been challenge through the understanding that I can truly help/am helping in practical ways that are world-changing. I may not be able to change the whole world but I can change the whole world for a person.
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Enough: The opposite of poverty.
Equality: “All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.” (Acts 2:44-45)
Compassion: To suffer with.

I am thankful for God’s gift of faith that is enabling me to learn and be changed through this study.

I am thankful to know, in part, who the Lord has placed in my life to bless and care for. And I am anxious to see who else the Lord will bring.

And I pray, that by His grace, when He brings more people my way-that my heart will be ready to respond with His compassion and care.

Luke 12:48: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” We all have a part and I’m grateful that I’ve been given a glimpse of what mine looks like.
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Two words that keep resurfacing in my mind are “enough” (week two, day six) and “compassion” (from Latin com- with + pati to suffer). I think these’ll land on my personal and/or family mission statement. By God’s grace the essence of “enough” and “compassion” are there.