Wings of the Wind

I must mention two things before I share facts with you.

The first is that I must give credit to my friend Manny who sent me the link where I got this information. Manny has a blog called Kairos Now and you can read a great series he has just completed.  You can get to his web site by looking at my blogroll and clicking on Kairos Now.  Manny told me that his goal in the series “is to cause people to consider the high cost we must pay to protect children from horrors of this evil world.”  I highly recommend it.

The link to the hunger information that Manny shared with me will follow.

Second, there will be no picture of starving people on this post. Unless you have been hungry yourself, no picture can communicate what it’s like. I don’t neglect the picture because a starving person is difficult to look at. We are either hardened or softened by the pictures. Anyone who is softened already needs no picture, just the facts.  Anyone who is hardened by pictures of poor people needs to read the Biblical story of Lazarus (Luke 16:19…)

Here are some of the facts:

We’ll start with American children since they are closest to home.

• 20% or more of the child population in 40 states and D.C. lived in insecure (low food security and very low food security) households in 2010.
• In 2010, 16.4 million or approximately 22 percent of children in the U.S. lived in poverty.

Think of that last fact.  Nearly 1/4^th of American children live in poverty.  I know that our definition of poverty is nothing like the definition in many other places in the world.

To see other facts about hungry children in America, go to:

http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-facts/child-hunger-facts.aspx

Manny shared some other facts with me.

• Asia and the Pacific region is home to over half the world’s population and nearly two thirds of the world’s hungry people.

(Source: FAO news release, 2010)

• Women make up a little over half of the world’s population, but they account for over 60 percent of the world’s hungry.

(Source:  Strengthening efforts to eradicate hunger…, ECOSOC, 2007)

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• 65 percent of the world’s hungry live in only seven countries: India, China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan and Ethiopia.

(Source: FAO news release, 2010)

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• Under nutrition contributes to five million deaths of children under five each year in developing countries.

(Source: Under five deaths by cause, UNICEF, 2006)

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• One out of four children – roughly 146 million – in developing countries is underweight

(Source: The State of the World’s Children, UNICEF, 2007)

• More than 70 percent of the world’s underweight children (aged five or less) live in just 10 countries, with more than 50 per cent located in South Asia alone;

(Source: Progress for Children: A Report Card on Nutrition, UNICEF, 2006)

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• 10.9 million children under five die in developing countries each year. Malnutrition and hunger-related diseases cause 60 percent of the deaths;

(Source: The State of the World’s Children, UNICEF, 2007)

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• Iron deficiency is the most prevalent form of malnutrition worldwide, affecting an estimated 2 billion people. Eradicating iron deficiency can improve national productivity levels by as much as 20 percent.

(Source:  World Health Organization, WHO Global Database on Anemia)

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• Iodine deficiency is the greatest single cause of mental retardation and brain damage, affecting 1.9 billion people worldwide. It can easily be prevented by adding iodine to salt.

(Source:  World Nutrition Situation 5th report, UN Standing Committee on Nutrition2005)

These are just some of the facts.

Many use these facts for their own gain.  I would call these people evil.

But the facts are the facts and they aren’t pretty.

So why are so many people interested in hunger?  I think it’s because of the economic situation worldwide.  More importantly, I think it’s because of the spiritual situation worldwide. These days even the wealthiest fear hunger.

What does the Bible say about the issue?

On a personal level, Jesus told us not to worry about what we are to eat. (Matt. 6:31, 32)

On a humanitarian level, Jesus talked about those who are “blessed of my Father:”

“For I was hungry and you gave me meat: I was thirsty and you gave me drink…” (Matt. 25: 34, 35)

I appreciate that Manny took the time to look up the facts for me.  It means he also cares about the subject.  It is a difficult subject, but it is one we must consider.

cr

Welcome Jerry.

Jerry and I have met online and Jerry is a Christian.  He tells me that things are similar in his country.  Many people call themselves Christians but don’t act like Christians.  He also tells me that many are believing in different parts of the world.

It’s always nice to have a new Christian friend.

CR

“When I was about fifteen or sixteen years of age, I wanted a Savior, and I heard the gospel preached by a poor man, who said in the name of Jesus—’Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.; It was very plain English, and I understood it, and obeyed it and found rest.

I owe all my happiness since then to the same plain doctrine.

Now, suppose that I were to say, ‘I have read a great many books, and there are a great many people willing to hear me. I really could not preach such a commonplace gospel as I did at the first. I must put it in a sophisticated way, so that none but the elite can understand me.’
I should be—what should I be? I should be a fool, writ large.

I should be worse than that, I should be a traitor to my God; for if I was saved by a simple gospel, then I am bound to preach that same simple gospel till I die, so that others too may be saved by it.

When I cease to preach salvation by faith in Jesus put me into a lunatic asylum, for you may be sure that my mind is gone.”

-Charles Spurgeon

Source: http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2012/04/simple-gospel.html

The answer to the question is: YES.  And I’ll prove it.

Are we better than the 12 that Jesus chose to be His disciples?  I don’t think so.

If you can tolerate it, read a bit further.

Jesus was having a final meal with the 12; the final meal before he would be arrested.

He told them:

“I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.”

He was telling them that he was about to suffer.

Not more than a few minutes later the men were disputing “among them as to which one of them was regarded to be the greatest.” (Luke 22:24)

What would you and I do in such a situation?  I don’t know what you would do but I would get heated.  How could they be so dense?

Jesus had heard them arguing on the same topic at least once before (Mark 9:34).

On that occasion, He had told them:

“If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”

Now they are at it again and their timing couldn’t identify the human condition more.

How many times do we miss the thing that is directly before our eyes?

What is Jesus’ response?

See the mercy of God.

He says:

“The greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant.”

“You are those who have stood by Me in My trials; and just as My Father has granted me a kingdom, I grant that you may eat and drink at My table in My Kingdom.”

I anticipate that the scholar will say, “We are not like the 12.  We have been sent the Comforter.”

I would reply, “Yes, but have you been given ‘authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness?’” (Matt. 10:1)

The disciples had been with Jesus three years.  They had seen his power and they were given power themselves.

And look at how they act. And look at his love for them; his mercy.  In spite of their thoughtless words, he again attempts to gently teach them and speaks of the gift He will give.

There is no question that the disciples loved Jesus.  However, they were so very dense at times.  We are no different.

Praise God for his wonderful mercy!

“However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—” – 1 Corinthians 2:9

 Chris Reimers

“dense” – slow to learn or understand

There’s not a person on the planet who had a perfect year in 2010.  Every one could tell you that bad things happened.  They could tell you of good things.  One thing is certain:

If you are reading this, you are alive.  Since no one under a year old can read this, God has given you another year of life.

We have been given a gift.

Will all who read this be alive to say the same thing when the last few hours of 2011 wind down?

Only God knows.

A good question to ask would be about how we’ve used this gift.  This post is going to leave that topic alone and only focus on the gift itself.

2011 holds no guarantees of life for anyone.

For some, 2010 has been pretty tough.  I’m over 50.  I understand, a bit, what tough times are.  The butterfly that follows me around the internet represents a real one that appeared during a tough day that happened years ago.

I don’t put a great deal of emphasis on whether God caused that butterfly to flutter by on that tough day.  I do put a great deal of importance on the Words of God which the butterfly reminded me of.

You have had tough days like that.  What do you turn to at such times?

You probably know people who are sick and poor.  You probably know people who are very sad.  Their sadness may come from their family problems or their loneliness.  You may even know someone who has been told by doctors they have less than a year to live.

I got a phone call today about a family member in such a situation.

In the greatest sermon ever preached, Jesus said, “Do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.” (1)

No one knows what 2011 will bring.

We do know that God allowed us life in 2010.

There is a flip side to these comments about life.

Can we say with the great Apostle: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain?” (2)

What an excellent way to live!!!

How does one have such an attitude?

The fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (3)

Faith comes from one source.

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” (4)

Praise be to God for His Word and for the gift of 2010!!!

Chris Reimers

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(1)  Matt. 6:34

(2)  Philippians 1:21

(3)  Galatians 5:22-23

(4)  Romans 10:17

(5) http://apprising.org/2010/12/30/the-emerging-church-is-unaware-its-dead

Note: Today, an internet post by an “emergent” source used a picture of a butterfly.  I am in strong opposition to the movement within many “Christian” churches called “Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism” that hides itself behind various names.  It has taken the focus off of Biblical Christianity and has put emphasis upon mere subjective feelings.  Many of these “emerging” practices are Buddhist, Hindu, and “New Age” in nature. (5)