One Question, Six Voices: Lent Week Two

This week's Lenten question from Rethink Church:
What are those temptations that rule you and make you turn away from those in need—in poverty, disease and hunger?

This card hangs in my office at work:

It's an excerpt of a story about a man who sees a little boy throwing starfish back into the sea so they won't die. The man can't believe the boy is taking on such an overwhelming task and tells him he'll never make a difference. The boy throws another starfish back in the ocean and responds with: ''I made a difference to that one."

I keep it visible in my everyday surroundings because on days I feel like the man in the story, and the enormity of problems like poverty, disease, hunger, orphanhood, etc., etc., etc. weigh heavy on my heart, it reminds me not to be tempted to give up, not to be tempted by the fear of failing to make a difference. Because that's how it is sometimes, right? To hear there are 153 million orphans in the world, or that 870 million people worldwide don't have enough food to eat—that's daunting! On many days, it's paralyzing. Statistics like that make the problems of the world seem too big to affect, and much easier to sit in my comfortable suburban home, with enough food in my belly, enough water to drink, and more than I could ever need. It's easier to turn off the news and ignore what's really happening in the world.

But that's not how we're called to live. I have enough...more than enough so that I can share what I have with others. I have been blessed so that I may bless others. And on days when the problems in front of me feel too big, it helps to remember that I can't do everything, but I can do something. I can love an orphan (or 40 orphans!) in Russia. I can give my time or my money to organizations making a difference every day, like Water.org, Children's HopeChest or Global Orphan Project. I can be a voice for change by raising awareness for sex trafficking. I can make a difference, and so can you. We mustn't be tempted not to.

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This post is one of six points-of-view on the same topic. Check out what my friends think of this week's question on their blogs: Shawn, Heather, Steph, Brian and Julia.