Insignificant Life

The recent earthquake in Haiti has haunted me as I am sure it has haunted everyone who has seen the pictures.  As I watch the world rush to respond to this tragedy, I wonder why it takes something like this for humans to respond.  We are all aware of the plight of those in third world countries.  Yet, 24 hours before this tragedy the American people were more concerned with Health Care and American Idol than the millions of children world wide who are orphaned.

Then on top of it, at a time when the news media could be covering how all these Christian organizations were the first to respond and spread the love of Christ.  The media gets to focus on the idiot Pat Robertson who wants to shoot off his mouth about how they deserved this.  Sounds like Katrina all over again.  This got me to thinking about the balance of Grace and Truth.  When I read through the New Testament I can’t find a time that Jesus, kicked trounced and pounded a person who was down.  When He spoke truth it was too those who thought they didn’t need grace and when He gave grace was to those who already knew the truth all to well. 

In ‘The Grace and Truth Paradox’ Randy Alcorn says this about the disciples after Christ’s ascension.  “Truth was the food they ate and the message they spoke.  Grace was the air they breathed and the life they lived.”  They weren’t busy preaching to the third world countries about some pact their ancestors may have made with the devil, they were the first ones on the plane, and the first ones on their knees praying the God would move mightily and He would bring good out of this horrible situation.

As I thought about this today and became angry at Pat Robertson, God convicted me of the same sin on a different scale.  One of the girls living at Saint Child right now has been under my skin since day one.  Since I got back from my trip I have had very little patience with her and NO Grace.  So I have been all truth and discipline with her and very little grace.  So here and now I confess my sin before God and ask forgiveness (yes I already apologized to her) and I pray that I finish out the next six weeks as if I am working for God and not myself.

Side Note:  I took my camera with me to the coffee shop to get a picture to go with this, couldn’t find anything….bummer.  I did have a fun chat with Em!!