Contentment
“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Hebrews 13:5
Our kids have no idea how good they have it. They don’t know poverty, injustice, sickness or real pain. Right now they are not exposed to all of the horrific things going on in the world around them. However, these things are going on. They’re in our backyard. My husband and I have both been around the world a bit. We have been to Africa to serve in providing water, food, work and buildings for people. I have been to the slums of Mexico and lived with orphans who have no parents and little hope. I have built houses for people living in garbage dumps. My husband spent a year in the Ukraine serving and working with the poor there. We’ve both worked with families and Habitat for Humanity. I have been an activity coordinator for a program to help homeless teens. We have seen it. Our kids have seen some of our pictures, but they still have little exposure. This exposure I plan to happen more and more as they get older. It’s such a unique time of life where it’s hard to gather up all the kids and really serve and take care of the poor and victimized like we are called to do. I am becoming more and more convicted that I can be doing more, even in this season. Other people have managed it. A friend is serving in Ethiopia with her small 5 kids now. If you haven’t been exposed to We are That Family, I’d love to have you see what they have been up to. Click on the Mercy House tab. I have also seen that my serving does look different with three small kids, even though there really is no excuse to stop loving people and caring for people as Jesus as called. We are still serving, but it looks different right now. I do want my kids to be exposed, however. Part of our kids understanding how to be content is helping them realize the suffering in the world. It’s hard to focus on yourself when you are shown what real need is. They don’t have to anticipate if they’ll get a meal today. According to www.world hunger.org, 925 million people suffer from hunger and malnutrition in the world. We need to carefully teach our kids the realities of this world so that they can stop focusing on their own discontentment and begin to be part of the solutions for others. Today, I showed my kids some carefully chosen pictures (above) that show sickness, homelessness, and poverty. I wanted to make these pictures appropriate without shielding them too much from reality. As Christians, we are called to be in the mess. Helping people that are hurting. I’m praying how to make this more of a focus in our own lives.
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