Today's topic has gotten me thinking about how progress in technology, communication and globalization affects God's expectations for us as disciples. We have access to programs, organizations, and global efforts to stop poverty, disease, and injustice dead in their tracks, and all of it at the tips of our fingers! This wasn't exactly true a hundred years ago, or even fifty years ago. Do you think this changes anything? For example, does it change who our neighbor might be? Could the parable of the good Samaritan told in today's culture be modified to look something like this: a sick and and injured man lay on a street in Uganda. A TV reporter shot footage of the man and then went on his way, an evangelical pastor watched the footage and preached on it on Sunday, and a member of that pastor's church heard the message and agreed with it, but an Atheist saw the man on TV and called the local hospital in Uganda to see if he was okay, then insisted on paying for all his medical bills. Maybe I'm way off here, but I really think that our culture and context has broadened the meaning of who our neighbor is, and has augmented the influence we can have over people's lives in God's name. Perhaps that augments our responsibility as well.
Personal:
Which country did you research today? How much time to you spend watching TV or surfing the internet for entertainment? Ever think about being more intentional with your free time? Does it excite you to know that giving a few more extra minutes a week on the internet could change your life, and save the life of someone else in the world? Take that Grey's Anatomy and LOST!!! :)
Action:
1. Check out the links below to research some countries if you haven't already.
2. Did you e-mail five friends with what you learned? How about posting it on your facebook status, or tweeting about it on a regular basis. Let's use the communicative tools we have to start raising awareness!
Posts
I think I spend the majority of my internet time researching news about human trafficking. I have no T.V. channels whatsoever and even got a text yesterday from a friend, to inform me of things going on in the world. I'm a bit out of it for keeping up on what things happen . . I don't know what the T.V. shows are or anything. I am a movie addict though. I don't know who is dating who, etc until usually a month after it was big news and someone talks about it to someone else in passing as I am near them. . .I'm glad though. My brother buys 10 magazines a week from newstands for his one friend who is obsessed with that stuff. . .I usually turn the magazines around when I go to Shop Rite because there are more important news that aren't even on those racks. It makes me mad. I think the only entertainer I know anything about is Robert Downey Jr., which I check a fan site once a week on that news which takes 2 minutes of my time, which pales in comparison to everything else I look on the net. I wasn't even on the computer for two and a half days this week. it felt great! You have inspired me! As for talking to people out of the country, I have started to write letters to such people. . because I love letter writing and people.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the continual inspiration, Elliott. I made an entry a few days ago which I linked to this blog in hopes that others can be convicted and inspired by your blogs.
My main heart strings: Vietnam, Ghana, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Burma, Bangledesh, Ukraine
I hope to continue to learn about their locations.
+Victoria+