I wrote a few weeks back about our creative expression that we do in our canvas groups. Well, in our last one we were encouraged to think about a problem that has been on our mind, and come up with a creative way to share it with others or solve it, or something along those lines.
Recently I have been thinking a lot about extreme poverty, and the little that we as rich Americans do about it in the rest of the world. And how blind we are to it. I thought of doing something deep and profound, but the words of one of my favorite childhood songs rang in my ears.
When I was a little kid I used to listen to a tape by a guy named Scott Wesley Brown. He recorded a lot of great late 80s and early 90s cheesy Christian music. But, there was always one song in particular that stuck with me over the years, and that no matter when I thought about it, I knew every word still. A couple years ago I was telling my dad that, and how I wish I still had it on tape, but that it had long been lost. He knew what I was talking about since it was in our limited amount of tapes we would play on all family vacations, with things like Rich Mullins, Wayne Watson, Amy Grant (before she went to the dark side), and Degarmo and Key (which, if anyone has a CD of their stuff I'd LOVE to hear it). He bought me a CD set that had the song on it! It was once again in my music collection, and is even on my ipod! Anyway. Back to my point.
I decided to use this song to maybe make people think about our complacency as Americans. How often do we say we are wholly committed to God, but really we mean, "I am wholly committed to God as long as he doesn't ask me to do anything I don't want to do, give up anything I love, or be in a situation that makes me uncomfortable."
Watch the video above, and through the sarcasm, think about how it might reflect what is in your own heart. I know regrettably if often times reflects mine.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Please Don't Send Me to Africa!
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2 comments:
bahahahah .. that video was hilarious. you are awesome! :)
I loved that song growing up, and being a missionary's kid to Africa, it had particular humor for me.
That said, what you wrote has particular meaning for me too. It took me a number of years on returning to America for college to get used to the materialism and wastefulness of Americans. I'm still not used to it...
Even Jesus said the poor will always be with us. But neither did he condone crossing to the other side of the road to avoid the man bleeding on the side of the road. And to confuse things further, what good does it if a man gains the world (through emotional health, social success, or economic solvency) but loses his soul?
You can't control what others do, so it comes down to you (and me). What have you (I) done today, yesterday, and tomorrow to answer undeniable need?
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