Big Wake up Call

Chris wrote this great post over on his blog Watrous Musings!
So glad we can feature his thoughts here too.  Chris, we're glad you are on board!

American christians are soft compared to most of the other Christ followers in the world. This may offend some, but, i am not writing this to make friends. If i get rebuked for writing about the selfishness, gluttony, and immaturity that i see, i'll take it!!! nothing can change my mind!!! tired of always writing scared, not wanting to offend somebody. Gonna put this fear on the backburner for a few minutes.

Yesterday, i got to meet the other members of our Haiti Missions team. There are fourteen of us, from six different churches, most of them in the Detroit area. We all met in Lansing for briefing on our trip. It's intriguing, learning about a new culture. Of a land that is in desperate need of the love of Christ!! life there, is far more chaotic and brutal than anything that i have ever known. As i type this, i am a rookie. A greenhorn. I know that God is gonna blow me away with the harshness that is there, compared to my diamond-lifestyle in Marion, Michigan. I have no clue on the true suffering that goes on there!!!

The only suffering that i know is not being able to buy pizza on a friday night, putting a dent in my newly purchased car, five days after getting it, or having to get up at 3 am to go to a job. I can't relate with the family that got evicted from the "TENT CITY" that they lived in!! I complain about the mild leak in our roof. I have NEVER been without a job. I have had steady employment, since i graduated from highschool, 25 years ago....WOW, that seems like a while ago...lol!!!! how could i ever handle walking around with my loved ones, hungry, with no money to feed, clothe, and shelter them, knowing that as a husband and father, that i couldn't provide?

Last year, we lost our electricity, for a day. We really scrambled, having to use candles or flashlights. We had NO CABLE TELEVISION!!!.....lol!!! In Haiti, this is normal. Lots of people there, don't even have adequate plumbing!! i have no idea what real inconvenience means!!

Churches in America, have state of the art buildings, great sound systems, and no persecution in going to church. We are spoiled in comparison, to so many countries. Over here, we feel that we are entitled to things. We complain if we don't get the best parking spot in church!!! Imagine, if we had to walk miles, to even meet with other believers!! yeah, i said, WALK!! not DRIVE!!

We hear sermon after sermon, year after year, about putting others first, and being our brother's keeper, yet, we are deaf and dumb to these Biblical truths!! most of us will remain spiritual babes, for the remainder of our lives. Our pride and "me first" attitude hold us prisoner!!

As i pen this, i know that i am part of the problem. I am going to Haiti to serve God and the people there, but, sometimes, even more, i think God is taking me there for my big wake up call!!! The Good Lord knows that i NEED IT!!!