Shattered

I don't know what it is about me and grocerey stores. It seems like every time that I go to the grocery store I have an experience. Last time I danced on isle 3 and maybe 4,5 and 6 too. But tonight was extremely unusual and unexpected. I was walking through, getting a few essentials while listening to a podcast with Chris Tomlin, when my heart was suddenly shattered. Chris is a famous and passionate worship leader and he made what I belive is a tremendously profound statement. He was talking about how we work so hard to have our preferences met in church through worship styles and in going to conferences and doing so many consumer minded things. Then he said that he believes that we as Christians are far too busy consuming things for God when the reality is that we should be busy trying to allow God to consume our lives. Just after he said that, I found myself starring at a can of green beans... I know, deep right? But as my eyes slowly moved up the isle to see all the food that is so easily accessable to me and really all Americans, my heart was so broken for all of the starving people in this world.
You see, I have had a guilt complex. I didn't understand why God would call me to serve him in this nation of great prosperity when there are so many places that He could send me where the need seems so much greater and where I would have to suffer so much more for Him. But as I looked up that isle full of food I began to understand that God has called me here where we have all the resources to meet any need. My heart was broken and yet burdened with such a sense of responsability to meet the needs of the poor and broken.
How great would it be if one day we as a church could adopt a whole city or village where they are struggling to live. We could drill them wells, build them homes, give them shoes and clothes, give them farming supplies. There has got to be a village or city some where that we could do that for one day in the future. Just imagine how we could actually help a whole community move from poverty to having every need met... To having a hope!!! Do you think that they would hear the gospel then? Do you think God would be glorified and worshiped?... I do!