Statistics
are tricky. While numbers give us information, sometimes they can also
desensitize us to the people those numbers represent. This hit me recently as I
read a statistic: Every year 15 million people die from hunger. That’s
chilling, and for those of us who live in cultures of plenty, it’s hard to
fathom. In 2008, nearly 9 million children died before their fifth birthday,
with a third of those deaths related to hunger. These are staggering numbers,
but they are much more than numbers. They are individuals loved by God.
We can
show the Father’s heart of love by responding to people’s physical needs.
Solomon wrote, “He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who
honors Him has mercy on the needy” (Prov. 14:31). We can show mercy to the
needy by volunteering at a soup kitchen, assisting in a job search, financially
supporting the drilling of wells in places in need of fresh water, distributing
food in poverty-stricken regions, teaching a trade, or providing lunches for
school children.
Accepting
this responsibility honors the Father and His concern for all. And those who
are starving might be better able to hear the message of the cross if their
stomachs aren’t growling.
The more
we understand God’s love for us the more love we’ll show to others. (RBC)
