How Will You Be Remembered

How Will You Be RememberedIn the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. Martin Luther King Jr

By now it may be apparent to you that I am an advocate for children living in poverty around the globe, seeking to connect Christian sponsors with them in order that they might rise above the ranks of poverty and become fulfilled, Christian adults, who are able to care for themselves and their families. To that end I am a volunteer with the Christian ministry Compassion International.

I came upon Martin Luther King’s quote this morning and my thoughts went immediately to these children. Actually I envisioned a parent. A parent of one of these kids who, at the end of an exhausting day of trying to make ends meet and scraping together enough food to feed the family collapses in a pile of silent tears and frustration.

“Where are my friends?”

“I understand why my enemies do not speak up to help me,” the parent continues, “but where are my friends? Where are the people who say they love me?” The silence to these parents must be deafening. Perpetually waiting for a friend who is not coming likely qualifies as the most frightening experience known to man.

But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 1 John 3:17

As Christian Americans we have (at the very least) two things in our favor. First, we have Jesus Christ and all the wonderful things that go along with that blessed relationship. Second, as Americans, we possess the world’s goods. While the world’s goods do not compare to Heavenly riches, it does not negate the fact that we enjoy them.

Friend or Foe

I doubt I would be hard pressed to find anyone who would openly acknowledge that they hate children living in poverty. However, as Christians we determine the goodness of a tree not by what it declares, but by what it produces. A fruitless tree does not have the capacity to hate its owner, but a fruitless Christian does bear witness to that truth. If you are a friend then you will likely act like one.

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:18

Compassion dave