Numb From The Brain Down

May: 
Just Help- "If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; If you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate;" Verse 7


Step 1: Wash Water Tanks 
Step 2: Practice What You Preach 
Step 3: I Am Not The Boss 
Step 4: Feel Their Pain 


I waved his skin dry.  The alcohol evaporated, leaving a sterile section ready.  Holding his finger tight with the lance, I pushed the blue button one time.  Crimson liquid streamed from his finger as he sat still, looking up at me expectantly.  He doesn't cry anymore, and sometimes he will even push the button for you.  God made him sweet like that; temperament made to withstand.  Mason is eighteen months old and has type one diabetes.  I am his Lala-- changer of diapers, bringer of juice, driver of gators.  

Tonight I helped take care of him for a few hours.  We swam, played with trucks, ate dinner, took a bath and rocked to sleep.  If you didn't know any better, you wouldn't know Mason suffers... or feels pain.  

When I was little, I loved the movie Ferngully.  Now, if any of you know my right-winged father, you know he did not approve of such liberal movie viewing.  Therefore, I only got to watch it at friends' houses.  When I was little I didn't understand the nature of the movie, I liked it because of the jokes and fun characters.  

In one scene, the "human", Zac is trying to impress the fairy, Crysta.  He starts to carve the letters of her name into a big tree in the rain forest. Crysta becomes upset, grabs his hand and jams it up against the tree. She says, "No no! You mustn't do that! Can't you feel its pain?" 

Zac replies, dumbfounded with, "Its pain??" 


Batty, the escaped lab bat played by Robin Williams (hilariously), states, "Humans can't feel anything. They're numb from the brain down."  

Zambia Medical Mission 2006

Can't you feel his pain?  


Or are we numb? 


This month isn't just about helping others, it's about realizing that those around you are hurting. It's about throwing off the blinders and seeing what's really happening in this world. 

The baby getting his sugar checked every few hours.  The grandpa who lost a good friend.  The teenager who isn't being understood. The mom taking chemo.  The homeless man on the street. The dad who lost his job.  The child without a home. 


Can't you feel their pain?  


Sometimes, I really do think we are numb from the brain down.  This month has only a few days left, but I'm looking for hurt in others. 

Because when I can see their pain, I can find a way to help, understand, and love.  

Sometimes, all we need to do to help is give someone a giggle or two.

Spring Break Campaign- Chihuahua, Mexico 2005

La Bielleza y Unidad de la Cruz

January: 
Focus on God  - "Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." Verse 2.

 Step one: Listen to better music.
 Step two: Look for Him.
 Step three: Be a Tiger Christian 
 Step four: Talk About Him

 La Bielleza y Unidad de la Cruz.  
 The Beauty and Unity of the Cross.  


Our church has a wing, and hidden away in there are a variety of cultures that come from Mexico and Central America.  They meet in that wing, praise the Father, preach the word, and grow.  Our Hispanic congregation has been meeting for about 18 months, with at least 20 baptisms.  Today, they left the wing they have come to know, and joined us for worship.  We prayed, sang, and heard the word of God in Spanish and English.  As one church. 

It reminded me of the days when I lived in Dimmitt, and we experienced the same thing with the Spanish Church of Christ.  How powerful it is when we let go of barriers, and let ourselves be unified in Christ.  

When I was in Zambia, I taught a man what a smore was.  I had a gritty melting marshmallow mashed between half a graham cracker and a piece of chocolate. My hands were filthy, but then again, so were his. We were being smoked out by the fire, and it was darker than dark. In Zambia, the stars shine radiantly, for no other reason than there isn't any competition for their light.  They own the place. The light from the fire flickered across the man's face, and it was amazing to see his joy after eating a smore for the first time.   I would imagine that was how God intended it.  Zambian and Texan, smore eaters.  Spanish and English, singers of praise.  


La Bielleza y Unidad de la Cruz.  It really is beautiful.  With all of the unrest in the world, especially in the past month, I have to seek this beauty, and let it get my attention-- because the beauty of the cross shines like those stars in Zambia, out into a dark world that doesn't stand a chance.  


Third Day lyrics that I love: 

"Praise to the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ
Our God and our King, to Him we will sing
In His great mercy, He has given us life
Now we can be called the children of God
Great is the Love that the Father has given us
He has delivered us
He has delivered us
Children of God, sing your song and rejoice
For the love that He has given us all
Children of God, by the blood of His Son
We have been redeemed and we can be called
Children of God"

What's Left?

I keep these pictures on my filing cabinet at school.  Their haunting statement sends me a daily reminder of what has been left behind.  See her pain?


This past Monday, as I sat on my clean, pretty green couch in a nice air conditioned house, I watched a sleazy sitcom on my big, shiny TV.  A question blurted out at me, "So, someone must suffer to do good, then?" --A couple arguing.

The thought has plagued me all week.  I'd like to argue that I do plenty of good, even with my shoe collection, down comforter, daily bubble bath...  

Am I really doing good if it doesn't affect my daily comfort?

Is it wrong to be comfortable?

The story of the rich young ruler enters my mind, though I try to push it out. 
        "A man stopped Jesus and asked, ' Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?'
         Jesus said, ' Why do you question me about what's good? God is the One who is good. If you want to enter the life of God, just do what he tells you.'
         The man asked, 'What in particular?'
          Jesus said, ' Don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't lie, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as you do yourself.'
          The young man said, ' I've done all that. What's left?'
          ' If you want to give it all you've got, ' Jesus replied, ' Go sell your possessions; give everything to the poor. All your wealth will then be in heaven. Then come follow me.'
          That was the last thing the young man expected to hear. And so, crestfallen, he walked away. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and he couldn't bear to let go.
          As he watched him go, Jesus told his disciples, ' Do you have any idea how difficult it is for the rich to enter God's kingdom? Let me tell you, it's easier to gallop a camel through a needle's eye than for the rich to enter God's kingdom.'
           The disciples were staggered. 'Then who has any chance at all?'
           'Jesus looked hard at them and said, ' No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself.  Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it. '
... ' This is the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first.'"
Matthew 16:19-30 The Message

I think Jesus is clear in his message about money.  Matthew 6:24 says," No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."
 
Okay, Jesus. I hear you.

Then, should my Christianity be driven out of guilt for what I know is right?

No. It should be driven by love. Love for my Savior, love for those who need help. 

"Christ's love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do. Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own." 2 Cor 5:14-15 Msg

 I don't know the answer to the question that blared through the TV the other night. 

But maybe, if we just ask God to change our hearts, we can find our joy in helping others and not the comfort we have--that it will be a wish on our heart, and not an obligation formed out of guilt.  That regardless of how much we have, our master is always God, and we serve no other. 

I can identify with the young man who talked to Jesus that day. I follow the commandments, and I've wanted to know, "What's Left?"