Let's Get RADICAL

22,000 children die every day because of poverty. That is roughly 15 children every minute - meaning 30 innocent children dead by the time you finish reading this blog. Not because they did anything wrong, they simply have no food. 1.8 million kids die each year from something as innocent as diarrhea. 2.6 billion lack basic sanitation we take for granted every day, while 1.1 billion do not even have access to clean water. I know that these numbers are hard to internalize, but imagine if that was your son, daughter, sister, or brother. Dead because there simply was no money. 22,000 children every day. That is the equivalent of the entire population of the University of Kentucky dropping dead - in twenty four hours. *

Even today innocent civilians in Haiti are suffering and dying from cholera - a story beat out in the news headlines by Lindsey Lohan and the new fashion styles of the year. The sad thing is that cholera is preventable. Children here in America and across the globe do not have a roof over their head - shoes to protect their feet - or a measly piece of bread to ease their starvation.

As I open my fridge to peruse the possible dinner options I cannot help but think of these children. Why has God showered blessings on me when others lack basic necessities? I finally realized that maybe, God does not bless us for our glory and gratification but His. Maybe we are called to use our abundance to show the world the glory and truth of God. Luke 12:48 b reads "from everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and form the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."

We see a shining example of this in 2 Corinthians 8. Paul writes of the church in Macedonia that through affliction and poverty they gave abundantly with joy. In verse two he accounts that "during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part." Now these people were poor. Yet in their "extreme poverty" they gave to those in need with great joy. What a spectacular way to share the glory of God with the world! They did not just give what they did not need - but they gave out of poverty with joy.

Sadly, the needs that existed then still remain. I am overwhelmed by the necessities and injustices of our world, but also humbly convicted. Let's set the money aspect aside, because we all know we should give. Let's look at this from another angle. How much time do we spend in prayer for these people? If we know prayer has power, imagine the effects if just half of the professing Christians went to their knees before God on behalf of those suffering from injustice.

So here is my challenge as offered by David Platt in his book Radical : pray for the world.
I know that sounds impossible, but a few words to a powerful God generate change. There is a ministry entitled Operation World which can provide you with a country a day to pray for. I ask you, if you are willing, to join Jason and I on this journey. Our hours of service and hard earned donations will do little if not backed with prayer. Ghandi said, "I like your Christ but I do not like your Christians. Your Christians do not reflect your Christ." Let's prove him wrong and set out for the following year to go to battle against the evils of this world with the best weapon we have - prayer.

*These figures can be found through UNICEF and at http://www.globalissues.org