Prove It

So I cried today. First time in a little over a year that I have cried. First ever that have cried in front of a groups of guys. What caused this rare outburst of emotion?

The love of God.

If you don't know anything about me, I am the chaplain of Kappa Upsilon Chi, a Christian fraternity at USC. Every Monday I do a devotion on a variety of topics. This past week I had watched a video about an organization I'm a part of called Compassion International. I was very moved by it and decided to talk about the video and the verse that went along with it. (James 1:27 if you are interested)

As I start preparing the devotion, I was having a hard time figuring out what to say. I looked up a few references and got it all done. But after I had finished, I wasn't satisfied. I read over my notes and it just didn't have what I wanted.

As I was driving to work, I guess the Spirit was moving in me and I decided to scrap the entire devotion and just play the video.

I went to work, left that and went to chapter. After Lukas lead worship, I got up to talk and started playing the video. It started off with some people talking about how it is the churches responsibility to care for the orphans or the widows and that we are called to do this. They then started talking about Compassion. They go into 3rd world countries and introduce Christ to children. They also provide clothing, medicine, food, and an education. They are trying to break the cycle of poverty starting with children.

The video then cuts to two men. One of the men was from Kenya who had been in Compassion. He talked about how much his life had changed after someone had decided to sponsor him and how Christ was moving in his life. Then the host brought out the man who had sponsored him. They embraced and cried together. Two grown men. They are forever connected because one man decided to sacrifice a little time and money to help out his fellow man.

The video finished and started to talk a little bit about my experiences with Compassion. I sponsor a child, named Heber, from Bolivia. When I started to talk about him, I was overcome with emotion to the point I actually started crying when I was talking about how I feel when I get his letters. It completely makes my day, and sometimes the week. I usually show my roommate the letter and read it to him.

I think I cried because at that point I realized the extent of what exactly I was doing. I was helping this kid, who I have never met, become something. I am showing Christ's love to him. I am getting him off the streets, breaking the cycle of poverty, maybe even saving his life.

God loves us so much that he sent his Son, Christ, to earth as a sacrifice to pay for our sins. Because God loves us we are to love and sacrifice for others. I sacrifice $38 a month so that a kid can eat, learn, and change his surroundings. O yea, and he has a relationship with Jesus Christ, so that in and of itself is worth it alone.

We always say that we want a better world or that things should be done to make the world a better place. Yet we sit on our couch driving our cars, eating WAY to much, getting fat expecting that someone else will solve all the problems.

My challenge to the 7 people that will read this that want a better world is simple. PROVE IT. Do something about it. Whether its sponsoring a child, or becoming part of some organization. Don't just stand by waiting for someone else to step up. Change the world.


www.compassion.com