Obsolete (May 3, 2007)

his past weekend I attended an event that changed my life forever. I have had a handful of events that I can mark as life changing. Like the phone call I got from my ex-husband telling me he was leaving me for someone else...where even in hurt, pain, and desperation I felt God comfort me and tell me that my life is precious and worth living. That this pain while intense and I felt unbearable would bring me through to something amazing. For the first time I knew that God didnt cause it but would use it to grow me beyond my wildest dreams. Or another: the Tommie Zito revival at World Outreach Worship Center where I had the most powerful encounter I have ever had with God that taught me how to push deeper for Him and taught me to see people through His eyes. Even my father's death taught me a level of forgivesness that is still being developed in me. It moved me beyond myself and in so doing showed me how significant my life really can be in the vastness of the world.

I attended Displace Me in Washington, D.C. There is so much to say about the events that I fear a lengthy blog that most won't read. But, this blog is only the first in a series of blogs about the event itself. It is just to tell you that I am forever changed because God touched me in a new way.

So, in this blog I want to talk about passion. I want to talk about the life lived in between your dash. I want to talk about caring for something or someone that affords you nothing in return by acting on it's behalf. I'm talking about grown-up Christianity in action. Doing the Father's will regardless if it is popular, attractive, or the results are out of bravery or fear. One of the film makers of the Invisible Children documentary spoke. Laren Poole said "If Africa isnt your thing find something that is". I saw a generation that has been labeled apathetic, lazy, slackers, and tv junkies lay down for something they believed in under uncomfortable circumstances. I'm tired of hearing what people in my age group have traditionally been like. I wanna see the fire of God snatch us up from our humdrum cookie cutter lives and take us to the streets, the homes, the countries for what we believe in. I wanna see us RISE UP.

So, what am I trying to say? Don't tell me we are too lazy to fight injustice. Don't tell me we are too busy watching tv to lead our friends to the truth of Christ. Don't tell me we are to desensitized to care for the hurting, hungry, lost, and displaced. Don't tell me we are too disorganized to come together and love people with our money, our actions, and our activism. Because I saw it this weekend. I saw a fire that inspired me. I saw a compassion living out loud. I saw generations come together. I saw team work among strangers. I saw the love of Jesus Christ spread from the found to the lost.

When we don't help someone in need that God places on our hearts we are rendering them obsolete. Worthless. Supplanting their existence in a thoughtless and desperate attempt to elevate our own. Saying "You aren't important. This issue isnt important. It is ok if your life ends because it doesnt fit into my paradigm. It doesnt affect me therefore why should I be bothered"? I am so glad Jesus doesn't treat us the way we treat one another. But, I am so glad that a group of unknowns came together to be a voice to the "whatevers".

The lives of the Invisible Children and their families are important. We lost 32 people and it made International news. Every Myspace page has a memorial flag. Yet 1000 people die every week in the Internally Displaced Camps in Northern Uganda and we don't bat an eyelash. No one is outraged. No one feels an urgency to help.

But, after this weekend I can no longer say "no one" because 100,000 Americans slept outside in cardboard boxes to raise awareness for thousands of faces they have never seen.

So...my challenge to you. What do you care about? What are you passionate about? What are you willing to go all the way to make a difference for? What cause or issue are you willing to have your friends go "not another blog about that" for? If they'll know we are Christians by our love...when are we gonna show it?