This week I walked headfirst into extreme contrast. On one hand, I found myself recording a live video in the same building as the Blood:Water Mission offices. A while back I was able to speak with Dan Haseltine, the lead singer of the band Jars of Clay, about the company that he helped found in order to have an impact on the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa by providing clean water and sanitation to communities throughout the continent. As described on their website, Blood:Water Mission launched the 1000 Wells Project in 2005 as a nation-wide effort to raise enough money to provide clean water and sanitation to 1000 communities in sub-Saharan Africa based on the equation that $1 provides one African with clean water for an entire year. Can you grasp that?
$1
That is like saying:
1 ITunes song download
1 lottery ticket
1 coke at a restaurant
2 tacos at Jack in the Box
among many other frivolous things. I am sitting here thinking about the fact that my ITunes music buying spree last week could’ve provided enough clean water to 20 Africans for an entire year. Or enough clean water for one African for 20 years! This is blowing my mind today because just yesterday I heard someone tell me that he used to work for a high end rug making shop and once they sold a special made rug to a homeowner for $150,000. I sat in awe at the contrast of these two figures.
$1 for life
$150,000 for a decoration
Ugh. It makes me sick to my stomach. Not just because someone with tons more money than I have would spend it in this way but because I am seeing how frivolously I spend what I have. Every single soda I buy at a restaurant or magazine I buy in an airport or any other un-needed luxury I buy myself (and yes, these stupid things are luxuries. The definition of luxury is “indulgence in or enjoyment of comforts and pleasures in addition to those necessary for a reasonable standard of well-being”) I am withholding clean water and sanitation (not luxuries but necessities) from countless people throughout the world.
Blood:Water Mission is only one company among many others who are reaching out to help those others throughout our world. One, whose mission is in alignment with Matthew 25:34-40
34-36″Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:
I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’
37-40″Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’
Could this be said about us?
It seems such a drastic difference between 1 $4.00 magazine and an $150,000 rug but what I realized in thinking about the two is that there really is no difference. Both amounts of money were/are spent frivilously and both amounts could be providing life to someone else. I am going to do something about this in my life and no, I don’t work for Blood:Water Mission but I couldn’t ignore the huge contrast that I was confronted with while walking through their offices this last week. I would also challenge you to do the same. Hop onto the Blood:Water Mission website and check out all of the ways you can help. They have many genius ways that you can help so that no one can feel like they are unable to join their community for change. Or if you know of another group in alignment with those verses in Matthew 25 then find yourself involving yourself in their mission. Whatever you do I would love to hear how it is impacting your life as a result. Feel free to leave comments and thoughts below as well as passing this blog along with the Twitter, Facebook, Email buttons below.
Let’s feed, give water, shelter, comfort, and visit.
Let’s give up our $150,000 rugs.
If you would like more information about Blood:Water Mission and the amazing things they are doing throughout Africa you can check out their website at www.bloodwatermission.com.
November 29th, 2011 at 11:41 am
Can anyone say conviction? I will, because this is a healthy conviction, not condemnation. I just spent 14 bucks at the dollar tree to decorate my house with the kids, but in the midst of my shopping (while trying not to go overboard with cheesy gold Christmas decorations) the bulletin at our church was flooding my mind with ways that people can donate to families in need in our own backyard, and abroad. I don’t want to do it for just one time, one season, around Christmas so my kids can see how good we have it and how bad others do, but I want the kids, and myself, to be givers every where we turn. And to begin to prioritize our thoughts towards being a good Stewart of what Gods given to usfor everyday throughout the year. And asking the Lord to not letmy right hand know what my left hand is doing. We are so bombarded with our culture in having everything we need for comfort and entertainment, that it’s numbed us to become used to the pain of throwing a little money at people for a pa on the shoulder, while we live in comfort and entertainment. I’m not saying its bad to decorate for Christmas with the kids, but we have a loving home and if we had nothing to decorate with, we would make banners out of paper, and paint on the windows the gospel of Christ and his entry into the world. Emmanuel. Boy this message was right on my heart, and I’v been asking my sweet heart, if there are ways that we can implement the lifestyle of giving for the glory of God in our home, for our children’s sake, and the sake of the kingdom. I just don’t want my kids and myself to become greedy. Even living on one income, barely scrapping by, we consider ourselves to be rich because we have food, clothing, health, and most important…we have a home where the Lord dwells. If we had all the riches in the world, it would be empty compared to an abundant life with Jesus. Forgive me for rambling in my comment but you made me think about what the Lord has already been putting on my heart.Love and blessings
January 4th, 2012 at 8:06 am
I’m happy to hear that our hearts are being stirred in the same way. I pray that the Lord continues to give you wisdom in how to implement what He is teaching you
November 25th, 2011 at 3:57 pm
Sarah…. You are such a beautiful person, with such a beautiful heart. Your words are encouraging, and this is a great project that you have opened our eyes too. Thank you. May God continue to bless you and your family and I hope your baby girl is still writing beautiful songs!!!
November 22nd, 2011 at 9:13 pm
Yes, I agree with you on this. The past couple years the Lord has been taking my love of things away from me and replaced them with a more important love for people. Now when I’m at a department store, or perusing Vogue magazine, I look at the prices, like you and that rug, and all I can think of is “that $5,000 dress could feed X amount of people” and again, like you, it makes me nauseous. In my heart of hearts even if I had the money I could not shell out crazy prices for things like that (though I will admit many things are beautiful and I’d love to have them for free. Then I could sell them and make money to give to people in need. ; )
I keep thinking of the phrase “you can’t take it with you”. You can’t take a fancy rug or a pricey dress with you to heaven BUT you can take something more valuable. You can take people to heaven with you if you let God use you and your life for His glory. People are more valuable than things and also more beautiful than any thing in this world and any thing man can devise and call important and/or beautiful. People are the most important thing.
November 22nd, 2011 at 9:06 pm
I am looking for a service project for our Girl Scout troop. I am hoping this will be what they choose to do. Thank you for sharing.
January 4th, 2012 at 8:03 am
Awesome Cindy