Living Within Your Means

Proverbs 6:1-5, “My child, if you have made a pledge for your neighbor, and have become a guarantor for a stranger, if you have been ensnared by the words you have uttered, and have been caught by the words you have spoken, then, my child, do this in order to deliver yourself, because you have fallen into your neighbor’s power: go humble yourself, and appeal firmly to your neighbor. Permit no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids. Deliver yourself like a gazelle from a snare and like a bird from the trap of a fowler.”

In January 2008, my wife and I embarked on a journey prompted by Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. We had over $40,000 in debt, were collectively making more money than we had ever made in our marriage, and never seemed to make ends meet. I couldn’t figure out how were always living from paycheck to paycheck and never had anything left over.

It has now been 22 months since we started this trek, and I am happy to report that we are down to $10,500 in debt. Not only that, but we are learning to live within our means. I stopped working full time back in January so that I could attend school full time, so that significantly affected our debt retirement plan. However, thanks to generous supporters, I have not assumed any additional debt while attending school.

One valuable lesson that I think our country must learn is to live within its means. My wife and I have felt the frustration and pain of spending more than we make. Anyone who has a significant amount of debt knows about the limitations it brings to life. Debt kept me from pursuing my dreams and brought unmeasurable stress to my life and marriage.

Today I was reading in Proverbs 6 and was refreshed by the passage above. Please read it and watch the video. There is a valuable lesson to learn. Many of us have not lived within our means and have bought into the lie that we must take out a loan in order to survive. While not all debt is bad, we must be careful in how we choose when it is appropriate to borrow. Wisdom says that debt is bondage. Debt is slavery and we ought to do all we can to be free from its bondage.

How are you doing in the area of finances? Are you debt free or are you feeling the pressures of your lenders? How do you think the spending habits of Americans and Congress are affecting this country? Even while it is a tough economy, I would encourage you to do all you can to free yourself like the gazelle (especially because of the times we live in). It begins by learning to live within your means. Make it a practice and a paradigm to live in freedom.

Why I am 30 and Thankful

This past weekend my wife and I celebrated my 30th birthday. While money is sparse these days, the gifts are not few.

When I reflected back on the past 30 years of my life, I was delighted to discover that I have everything that I have longed for in life. God has given me a beautiful wife, an amazing son, and I am surrounded by wonderful family and friends. These are gifts far more valuable than any invention of man. Technology gets old and expires, food molds and rots, mechanics break down and wear out, buildings need constant repair and maintenance. But people last forever.

For the past 2 days my wife and I have been reading through Ecclesiastes, and it has been reminding us of what is important in life. Never before have I been so thankful for the luxuries that I do have. In addition to the priceless relationships that bring me joy, I have a clean home for shelter, running water that can be changed to hot or cold, a wardrobe of clothing to keep me comfortable, 2 vehicles that go from point A to point B, countless stores for shopping, food available at my convenience, the helpfulness of technology- internet and TV, and the ability to create wealth- a job in the medical field. Not only that, but I have the privilege of going to a school of higher education, access to health care, and an avenue for justice provided by the privilege of living in America.

While our culture teaches us to look up the “ladder” as our measure of prosperity, I am starting to look down the rungs below me. Even while it seems our money is tighter than ever, I am growing to appreciate the incredible wealth in my life. There are people who do not have adequate clothing or shelter. Some wonder where their next meal will come from, while others do not have a hospital within a day’s journey. Even in the days when I was growing up and my family struggled to make it, we still, in our American poverty, had more than what the majority of the rest of the world has. We had access to food, healthcare, justice and shelter. We had friends and family and the ability to work.

So as I continue to look back and reflect, I continue to be thankful. My life is filled with fullness and blessing. My only regret is that I have not understood the magnitude of all that I do have until now. For the last 29 years, I have lived wishing for something different. When would I get lucky and hit it big with all my dreams and desires? Why did good fortune always seem to escape my grasp? The reality is that I had hit it big with my dreams and desires. Good fortune and fullness of life have overwhelmed me. I did not know that my selfishness and my coveting of the blessings of others ruled my life as I compare it with theirs. Thus, in many ways, I lived being unthankful too many times. It was a way of life that kept me from truly knowing all the good that was already in my life.

Today I live finally starting to learn the joy of being content. I am satisfied and grateful for all that I have. I am learning to count the blessings that have been given to me instead of counting the blessings of others. This view of life is a lens that has brought clarity to the fact that life is short and should be lived to the fullest- no matter how many or few my days may be.

A Sneak Peak at the Horrors of Socialized Healthcare

This morning I was listening to the news. I try not to watch the news too often because it seems like the same ol’ stuff regurgitated every day. It is like Ground Hogs Day, yet somehow I seem to get sucked back in every time I turn on the TV. Today’s big story that captivated me was on the topic of health care reform. Apparently people are whining about Harry Reid meeting behind closed doors with House leaders to reshape the current health care bill. (Watch Video). It did not really bother me at first.

Then, later this afternoon I was talking with my mother and I found out that my dad has been having some sleeping problems. This morning he went to the VA clinic in Grand Rapids, Mi to get a sleep study and his physician has postponed the sleep study test until February. Why? Because it is the closest available appointment from today. Apparently, somehow too many people were scheduled. This is a real tragedy since he has been waiting since before June to get this test done! I pray that nothing medical is wrong, but I fear that this is a sneak peak of the horrors of socialized healthcare.

Meanwhile, my mother also shared a story with me about her friend who needs surgery, but apparently Michigan has had some reimbursement changes and this surgery will no longer be covered. I am not sure of the details of that particular story, but I do know that a surge of emotions jolted through my body as I remembered this morning’s news. In lieu of my dad’s experience today and this story, the words Health Care Rationing flashed through my head.

What does health care rationing mean? Will Congress allow a bill to pass and be signed by the President that allows for rationing? I remember Barrack Obama’s pledge as a Senator. He promised to make this the most transparent Congress in history. Yet, this morning I was awakened to find out that a few elite Democrats are shaping a bill that will dramatically affect me and you in countless ways, all in the privacy behind closed doors. Shouldn’t something of this magnitude continue to be discussed publicly?

If this bill comes together and is eventually voted on, passed, and is signed into law, I will be one who helps pay for it. And likely, my family and I will eventually have to use it. So that means it will affect me personally. The same will happen to you. You will pay for it, and you may have to resort to using it. One report I learned about said that Blue Cross Blue Shield is planning on a 50% increase of their private insurance plans within 5 years if this bill passes. How will private insurers compete with the government plan?

There are a ton of questions that go through my mind. I am sure you have had them too. That is why, on such an overarching topic that will affect 1/6 of the national budget, we need transparency on this issue. What kind of plan is being schemed behind those closed doors today? I have to admit that I have been somewhat complacent on this topic. Even though I am conservative, I have  compromised on my attitude towards this specific issue as of lately- all in the name of “what harm would it do if everyone can be insured for healthcare coverage?” Maybe I would have to pay into the system a little more, but it might work out well in the end.

I think that is a lie. I do want a system that is affordable, but after the distant stories of health care rationing hit closer to home, the current healthcare plans on the table make me frustrated and nervous. Oh the horror that I would have after paying into a system only to have it fail me when I needed it most! Yet, for the first time, I have realized that this is reality for a slew of military veterans and individuals who are dependent on Medicare and Medicaid. And by the way, since I do work as a health care professional, I have seen this horror of health care rationing played out in the lives of others. It has a more bitter taste when it touches your own family.

What are your thoughts? Drop me a line. Let me know what you think about the current proposals on Capitol Hill. What do you think would make the current bill better and why? What do you think is the best way to tackle the health care problem? Why?

100 day challenge- Mission accomplished

Yesterday was the final day of my 100 day challenge. At the end of June, I embarked on a 100 day workout journey. My goal was to see if I could do at least a half hour of exercise 100 days in a row. I started at 246 lbs at a 38-40 inch waist. Probably closer to 40.

I am happy to report that after 100 days, I have not missed a beat. Every day for the last 100 days I have exercised for 30-45 min or more. I have lost about 13 lbs and am at a 36-38 inch waist. (I almost fit back comfortably into all my 36″ pants, but I do fit in some of them comfortably.)

So what do I do from here? Last night I splurged on a desert my wife made. It was an Oreo cream pie. Today I slept in instead of pounding it out at the gym. The next step is to set another goal. Should I do another challenge that is longer? Or one that is shorter and more intense? Something with a more strict diet? (I was not very strict and just used moderation in what I ate). I am not quite sure what is next, but I’ll be thinking about it the next day or so. My goal is to lose weight and tone up. If you have any ideas, let me know by posting them on my blog at http://aninkpen.wordpress.com/.

An Ebenezer for the Wandering Heart

1 Samuel 7:12, “Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”

Growing up in the Church had its good points and bad points. The church in particular that my family attended was definitely an independent, fundamental conservative church. That’s not a bad thing. One of the things that goes along with churches like mine is hymns. That’s all we would sing. Back then I certainly did not have a deep appreciation for hymns, but as I learn more about the Bible and grow in my faith, I have come to love the richness that is found in many hymns.

In  particular, the hymn Come Thou Fount has become an anthem for my life in recent years. When I was younger, I never understood the second verse. There is a line that says, “Here I raise mine Ebenezer; hither by thy help I’m come.” No one ever knew what an “Ebenezer” is. But we sang it anyway. Come to find out that after all these years, Ebenezer is a memorial stone erected by Samuel to mark where God helped Israel to defeat the Philistines – north of Jerusalem. It means, “Up to here the LORD has helped us.”

What was so amazing about this battle is that Israel had been deeply ensnared in idolatry, yet God had delivered her from a great struggle. This is a beautiful picture of how great God’s love is for His people. He did not chose the perfect and the strong to represent Him. 1 Corinthians 1:27 says, “But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong.” Weak vessels are chosen so that God might demonstrate His strength to the nations.

Not much has changed since then. God still choses the weak so that He can do great things in them and receive the glory. Because we know this, we need to look at our circumstances and struggles in a different way. Every trial, temptation and tough time in life is an Ebenezer where we have an opportunity to witness God’s help.

To see God working does not need to be in grand moments. For example, today we finally sold our washer and dryer. This might not seem like a big deal, but really it is a simple Ebenezer, a stone erected in my life, that helps me to remember the greatness of God. Because our washer and dryer sold, I no longer have the stress of worrying about it. It also provided money that we need. Another stone of the faithfulness of God is the fact that we moved on campus at DTS. It is a better environment to raise our son in; it is a better place for me to study; it is better for our sleep; there is less stress. We are so thankful to be where we are. These are both almost silly examples, but they are small reminders that will be foundational for when bigger trials come.

What is most amazing is that my life continues to be blessed in the middle of my weaknesses. I am not a perfect guy. I have struggles with anger, worrying, lust, jealousy and other problems at times. Hopefully each of these struggles will become less and less as I get older, but nonetheless, what I am trying to demonstrate is that I am just as unfaithful as any other except for the grace of God that keeps me from doing these things regularly. While they do not control me, in my weakest of flesh, they are there. I am no greater than His people Israel. Yet God still pursues me while I am weak with a heart that is prone to wander from allegiance to Him!

One of the greatest things we can do is that thing that grandma always told me, “Count your blessings.” Just like the hymn, Count Your Blessings, we should count them and name them one by one and see what the Lord has done. When we are attune to the blessings in our life, we will find a mountain of Ebenezers for our wandering hearts! How has God blessed you recently? What can you look back on in your life as strength for the moments when you struggle the most? These are God’s Ebenezer’s for you so that you would know Him and trust Him more!

Kid’s Marshmallow Test

My pastor did a series on temptation called The Way of Escape. For one of his messages,  “The Carrot, the Stick, and the Ass: The Truth Will Set You Free,” some guys from our church created a video. It was shown on The Today Show last Saturday and went viral on YouTube. I thought you all would enjoy it, so I posted it here:

Breaking Social Barriers

John 4:27, “At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, ‘What do You seek?’ or, ‘Why do You speak with her?’”

High school was as difficult for me as it is for anyone. While I was not the most popular, people still knew me. For the most part, people liked me, but in some ways I felt like a misfit. I belonged to a youth group at my church, and that was a great experience. But when it came to school, I had a hard time clicking with others. I joined the band, played football, and ran track. I did the whole nine yards. But one thing I remember as well as anything was the desire to belong.

I found it hard to belong to certain groups because it meant ostracizing others. Belonging to one group of people might mean sacrificing my reputation with other friends. My goal was to have my first allegiance always be to Christ, so that put a damper on how loyal I was to any group.

Most of us can identify with the desire to fit in. Many go great lengths to be accepted, and when they finally find their ring of friends, they will do anything to keep it- including the exclusion of others. In the story about Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, the disciples faced the exact same pressure to want to belong. In following Jesus, they finally have become involved with something in their life that has brought them deeper meaning. But what happens when the opportunity to belong begins to crumble?

In many ways, life was good for the disciples. They were following a leader who turned out to be the Messiah, the one who would deliver Israel. He could do ridiculously amazing miracles, and he had an impeccable knowledge of Torah, the “Bible” of the day. No one could argue with him. Not only that, but he could turn water into wine. How fun is that?! All was well until…

Jesus had this way of habitually jeopardizing the reputation of the disciples. In some ways, I wonder if the disciples were ever embarrassed for Jesus. Did he know what He was doing when He acted certain ways? After all, the Messiah should act like one, shouldn’t he?

This story is no different. At face value, Jesus “blows it.” He crosses social lines by talking with this Samaritan woman. In some ways, the text suggests that she was a prostitute. Regardless, she was Samaritan and she was woman. It would be an understatement to say it was taboo for a Jew to hang out with a Samaritan. Even more, a man, and certainly a Rabbi, would never approach a woman who was not his wife. Jesus violated social norms in order to extend mercy and grace to the outcast.

Which brings me to the point I wanted to reflect on…

Jesus’ disciples had gone into town to buy some food. When they entered back into the scene they were amazed to discover Jesus entertaining this woman. Amazed is a euphemism for “pooped bricks”. I can picture their jaws hanging open and the groceries slowly dropping to the ground as the disciples were thinking to themselves, “Jesus, stop! What are you doing?! You are messing up everything. Why are you hanging out with her? Don’t let anyone see you. They will never take you seriously. Start acting like the Messiah is supposed to act.” That is essentially how scripture paints their unspoken thoughts as it says, “‘What do You seek?’ or, ‘Why do You speak with her?” Breaking social barriers is shocking for others to see and often difficult to understand.

The story gets even better when the woman hurries into the city to tell everyone how her life was changed. It seems that the disciples were catching on to what was happening, so they tried to distract Jesus from paying further attention to the Samaritan people and thus harming his reputation even more. In effect, they said, “Would you look at the time? Hey Jesus, you’re hungry, right? Yeah, its time to eat Bro. Darn, we know you hate to miss out on ministry, but we gotta eat and run.” The temporal need for food became a distraction for the greater need to help others.  Distractions from good often come from those who are our social contemporaries and in the form of temporal obligations.

It turns out that Jesus stayed in that town for 2 more days and he did plenty more miracles- enough socializing with the outcast to make those closest to Him stock up on Rolaids. When we read this story, we all need to ask, “Who is our Samaritan woman of our day?” Who is it that we would never be seen with? Who is that person or people that if you saw your friend or pastor with, you would ask to yourself, “What are you doing hanging out with them? Isn’t that inappropriate?” Hopefully we don’t have that thought in us. Following Jesus means that we will transcend social barriers and distractions that would keep us from ministering to others.

Transcending social barriers eclipses the personal prejudice and barricades that are put up against others. What is interesting is that the very desire to belong often feeds intolerance of others. For some reason we intuitively think we cannot have both/ and. We think that if we demonstrate acceptance of those different than us, then our friends may think less of us. This would not happen in a genuine friendship, and regardless, a follower of Christ is ultimately concerned about what the King expects.

The reality is that we all struggle in some way with reaching out to those who are different. So my proposal is that we stop being amazed in the same way the disciples were when they saw Jesus ministering to the Samaritan woman. Extending love to weird people should not be shocking. It should be as normal as loving “normal” people. Who do you know that you have neglected, ignored or failed to help because they are different than you? What are some practical ways that you can extend mercy and grace in their life?

The Uncontained Heart

Luke 17:16, “And he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan.”

As I was reading through Luke 17, I became somewhat infatuated with this passage. There were ten lepers who came to Jesus to be healed. Presumably, nine of them were Jewish and certainly, one was a Samaritan.They were all considered unclean because of their leprosy, so scripture says that they stood at a distance when they asked Jesus for mercy. An unclean person would never approach or touch a Rabbi. That would have been an ultimate taboo. Yet Jesus extends mercy to heal the unclean.

The lepers were sent to the temple to show themselves to the priests. The priests would examine each individual to verify that they were clean. Then each person would present an offering (pay a temple tax) for the service of the priest. When an unclean individual was declared clean, he was restored back to the community. Restoration meant freedom to worship God and participate in the community . It also meant acceptance by others and freedom from shame.

The ten lepers did as they were instructed, but they did not all respond the same way. Nine of the men simply went to the temple to take care of their duty. They never directed their hearts toward Christ to extend gratitude and praise. Scripture records that there was one of the ten who, when he saw that he was healed, turned back and praised God with a loud voice. He was a Samaritan who was considered an outcast and object of shame both because of his disease and his heritage as a Samaritan. This man had everything going against him, but he responded appropriately.

Jesus said that the Samaritan’s faith made him well. It brought him salvation. While the other nine were clueless about the magnitude of mercy that Christ extended to them in their misery, the Samaritan abased himself before Christ. Bowing down with the face to the ground was done before before kings, military figures and especially deity and was considered an ultimate demonstration of submission and humility. Miracles of mercy are given so that we would humble our hearts before Christ and bring him praise.

The Samaritan leper, like the woman who wet Jesus feet with her tears, was forgiven much, and he loved much. That is why he praised God with a loud voice. I can almost picture him hysterically unable to keep himself together. When considering his situation, it is no wonder that he could not contain himself. I think that the reason why I became so infatuated with this story is because I often fail to realize how much mercy has been given to me. God is constantly forgiving me for my shortcomings. There are hurts, habits, and hang-ups that corrode my life. They come to surface every once in a while. But it is precisely at my moments of weakness where I have the greatest opportunities to honor God and praise Him as His sacrifice on the cross overwhelms my inadequacy. We all have been extended mercy. All of us. Yet not everyone who has been given mercy will find mercy when they die. The Samaritan found salvation when he humbled himself before Christ and gave Him praise.

We all have to ask who we are being like. Are we like the nine who received mercy and then disappear without giving thought about the One who extends such mercy? If we find ourselves just “going on our way” without humbling our hearts and giving God praise, we are in trouble. Life is not all well. But if we see ourself as the one who is unclean, if we truly understood just how immense our depravity is and the shame that we carry, then our hearts, like the Samaritan’s, will not be contained when we find mercy, and we will find salvation.

Call of Duty

Luke 12:35, “Get dressed for service and keep your lamps burning;”

Call of Duty is a popular video game that simulates the infantry and combined arms warfare of World War II. It is also a legal term describing the necessity to carry out a job or duty. While I enjoy playing video games, I have come to realize that there is a weight of responsibility that comes with being a Christ follower. Not everyone who prays a “prayer of Salvation” or calls themselves “Christian”, or goes to church will be a part of God’s Kingdom.

In Luke 12, Jesus gives a stern warning against greed. As I read this, I tuned in closely because materialism is a huge problem where we live. The sad thing is that most church-goers are blind to their struggle with this problem. Not only does materialism & greed dominate personal lives, but it has seeped into the seems of many mainline churches. From the moment you enter a parking lot in some of these places, it becomes apparent that they have a “cruise ship” mentality rather than a “battleship” mentality. There is a world of difference.

In this passage, Jesus reminds us not to be obsessed with the materials of this world. Churches and individuals who build their ministry with a cruise ship platform will eventually sink. All material investments eventually go bad and get worn out. Trends come and go like whirlwinds. Our primary concern should be about God’s Kingdom. Jesus was teaching his disciples to stay focused on their responsibilities and that the needs of life will be supplied to meet the demands of duty (Lk 12:29-31).

But more than that we have been given a call of duty. If there is something that anyone should not miss, this is it! Luke 12:35 says, “Get dressed for service and keep your lamps burning;” In the Greek, it better renders,“Let your loins be girded,” an idiom referring to the practice of tucking the ends of the long cloak (outer garment) into the belt to shorten it in preparation for activities like running, journeying or being employed in any labor. We are to be working servants of Christ.

Additionally, Jesus said to keep our lamps burning. That is, make sure we are ready and waiting. Christianity is not about laboring in vain. We are on a battleship working and carrying out our duties watching for the return of Christ when he comes to establish His Kingdom. We are to be waiting servants of Christ.

As I evaluate my life, I hope to grow to be a more faithful steward of Christ. Upon further reading in Luke 12, one will find that Jesus goes on to talk about what happens to unfaithful stewards in His Kingdom. It is not good! I have to ask, “What is distracting me for carrying out my call? How can I be more intentional in how I live as a faithful steward? Am I truly on mission for Christ? How so? What are my spending habits like and how do I use my time? We all need to ask these questions.

The Christian life is a missional life. Are you fulfilling your call of duty?

Am I truly good?

Luke 10:29, “But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Today as I was reading through Luke’s Gospel, I was challenged by the lawyer’s question (even though it was asked in a skeptical manner), “Who is my neighbor?” I was even more challenged by Jesus’ response. Apparently, in some ways, I think that I am an under-resourced person with more neighbors than I really want to care for.

One of my greatest struggles that I have had since living in Dallas is knowing what to do with all the people who are in need. There are a lot of homeless and countless others who are struggling in significant ways. This problem has challenged my heart because, as of lately, I tend to guard my resources since my own budget is tight.

In the context of the situation described by Luke, it was evident that this lawyer who was testing Jesus was one who knew all the right answers. I think we can all identify with that in some way. Many of us have grown up in the church and know all the right answers to spiritual questions. We even feel a sense of pride in what we know. Some of us can even quote scriptures or sing spiritual songs as our answer to the world’s problems. But we will see that is not what Jesus is looking for.

In this story, Jesus answers the lawyer’s question, “who is my neighbor?” The narrative describes a man who was on his way to Jericho when he was robbed, stripped, beaten and left for dead. There were three people whose lives came in contact with the beaten man. They each demonstrated their version of what was good, yet only one was right.

The first man was a priest. He happened to be going down the same road as a beaten robbed man left for dead on a path, yet he meticulously walked around this man when he saw him. This is probably because certain ceremonial laws forbade priests from touching sick or dying people, the priest did what was considered ceremonially clean. It was more convenient to walk around the dying person than to help him and then have to go through the necessary rituals to restore ceremonial cleanness. The priest continued on his journey. His religion got in the way of compassion.

The second person was a Levite. Levites were the tribe of people where the priestly line came from. Levites were God’s chosen people who helped serve in the temple. So it is not surprising that this man’s response was the same as the priest’s. He walked around the body and continued on his journey. It was the right thing to do, after all.

Third, we read about the Samaritan. Samaritan’s were the social outcasts of their day. They were perceived as unclean, repulsive, rebellious people to the religious elite. Samaritans were considered so bad that Jewish people would avoid traveling through Samaria at all costs, even if it meant traveling miles out of the way to get to their destination. The element of shock is that the Samaritan, the social and religious outcast, was the one who was good.

The Samaritan had compassion on the one in need. He spent a significant amount of his resources on the neighbor who he did not even know. It does not take a religious expert to know that the Samaritan was the one who was good. There are several thoughts that go through my mind when I observe the Samaritan’s response:

1. The Samaritan was able to identify the need and respond in a meaningful way.
2. Doing the right thing was not an issue that needed to be prayed about or something that took the counsel of others
3. There was a genuine concern for the one in need
4. You don’t have to be religious to be compassionate
5. No one told the Samaritan to be merciful

While there are several more observations that I can draw, I think that the few are noteworthy to help us see what we need to look for when examining ourselves as we respond to those in need. Jesus told the lawyer to “Go and do likewise.”

I am challenged because I know that right now I struggle to use my resources to help others in need. I am reminded that it is easy to make excuses why I cannot help others. Inconvenience, a perceived lack of money, other duties (religious and non-religious), and apathy are a few hindrances that keep me from being a faithfully compassionate person. I suspect that others may have some of the same struggles. But it does not have to be that way.

Jesus was not asking us to be precarious with our resources for the sake of people we do not know. Rather, He simply asked us to be compassionate on those who we have the ability to help. The calling is to extend genuine concern and love to others in a meaningful way. That may mean thinking creatively about how to meet needs when money is not available.

We must avoid “walking around the one in need” by saying, “I’ll pray for you” or “I would love to help, but I have to go to church,” or “You do not believe or live like me, so I cannot help.” There are many excuses that can be used to avoid helping others, but rather than dwelling on why we are not compassionate, we should take a moment to rethink how we can extend love to others, even when it is hard.

Is there someone you know you have the ability to help in a meaningful way? How can you extend compassion in a practical way to this person?