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Tuesday, November 5, 2013

#firstworldproblems

#firstworldproblems

Really?! First world problems? I know it is supposed to mean that we have such small inconveniences here in the United States that affect our everyday lives… Such as “My barista forgot my extra foam, looks like a sad day for me…#firstworldproblems” This is really a pet peeve of mine. Instead of pointing out little flaws in your everyday mundane life, find the joys and make your first world problem a first world blessing. Maybe this shouldn't irritate me as much as it does, but, I am wondering how we can, as first world’ers, help those who are not. How can we turn our hearts to help others? Instead of complaining about your latte, how about skipping the latte next week and putting a fund together to buy a well for a third world’er. Heck, you can even call it the save a little, bless a ‘latte’ or something corny like that.

We are allowed to be annoyed at things in life. It comes with being human. We are a super emotional being no matter how you respond to things. I could go on about how I have tons of medical debt because I had a detached retina that needed fixed twice in a week and no insurance. BUT- I am not going to complain about that. It is easy for me to say ‘God Provides’ or “God will provide’. The truth of the matter is that I am thankful that I can see. I am thankful for living in the first world where I can get medical care in the blink of an eye (pun intended) when I was losing my vision. I am thankful that regardless of whether or not I had insurance, they accepted me. I did not have a waiting list to go on to be seen, I was able to walk in without an appointment. Had I been in most other countries that may not have not been the case. To take this a step further and relate more on a day to day occurrence, let’s talk cell phones. I have been to the bush of Africa and I know they have cell phones, even if they don’t have running water. But, I get annoyed that my cell dies in the building I work in very quickly. I am glad that I don’t have to pay a random person to charge my phone via car battery and hope it doesn't explode.  First World Problems… I just don’t get it. I know it is meant for sarcasm, but this needs to stop. We need to figure out a way to bring third world problems to light and help others.

We get caught up in ourselves and our drama that we forget about others. I am not talking about every orphan in the world, but to think of the others in our neighborhood. Missions start in your neighborhood.  As cliché as that sounds, it is the truth. People are doing the 30 days of thankfulness right now on Facebook. It is great to see what people are thankful for, but are you thanking the one who gave it all to you… to the one who gave it all FOR you? My challenge for you this month would be that you would think of ways to bless a stranger. Not just a one-time deal either. I mean really bless them. Be the light they see in the darkness of this world. There are so many people falling apart out there. You may be able to show them hope and the love that Christ wants us to share.  Be the change that shakes up the atmosphere HERE and then shake up the third world’ers.

“Faith, Hope and Love abide. The greatest of these is Love” 1 Cor.  13:13

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