Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Do Something!



Just looking at the title of this post, what did you think it would be about? I'm curious what your first impressions would be?

When I looked at it after I wrote it, I thought it sounded a bit harsh. Like someone yelling at an inconsiderate driver, or should I say what appears to be an inconsiderate driver to them?

While I get ready in the morning, it's habit to take my Kindle and put on my Pandora station, Christian Contemporary and listen to whatever songs God brings my way while I get my hair and make up ready. I wasn't feeling in the most joyful mood because I wasn't happy about my attitude last night when I went to bed. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the travel my hubby has been doing and it's been H & G, Hi and Goodbye with him lately. So chores, errands, and everything else has been falling in my lap along with helping him pack and unpack between his trips.

I came across a song I hadn't heard before from Matthew West called Do Something. If you haven't heard it, I have included the video below and would encourage you to listen to it and see how or if it impacts you at all. I convicted me big time.

The words convey the simple truth the no matter what is happening in the world, we watch the news or listen to the radio and simply shake our head. Why isn't someone doing something to stop these things from happening. Homeless people continue to add to the growing population and we get our charitable moments in when we hand them some money hoping it will alleviate their burden to do something to help.

Now don't get me wrong it is something, but on a bigger scale, can't we as communities, churches, cities, states, do something much larger? Find solutions to help them get off the street and get back on their feet again. I look around and see all empty vacant buildings and wonder why we can't lease some of them out with the promise to start working around them to clean up neighborhoods and contribute to making our cities more pleasing to the eye.

I've read that if all the churches in every city took in one homeless person, there would be no more homeless people anywhere.

If all the people who could adopt a child, simply opened their homes, there would be no more adoptable children in the world. No more orphans.

If all the people in the world simply shared what God has blessed them with already, there would be no more hunger in the world anywhere.

So why don't we?

Because we are all waiting for someone else to do something.

We are all waiting for God do something.

But God has!

He created YOU!

YOU CAN DO SOMETHING.

What will you do to make an impact?

We all want to leave behind lasting legacies, imagine what would happen if we all did what we could, step outside of our attitudes and did what we could. If we ALL did what we could.

The possibilities are something!

I would encourage you to make a personal declaration like Andy Andrew's created in his book The Final Summit to "Do Something!"

"Knowing that all those who "arrive have to begin where they are. I choose to begin now. At this moment, I will do something.

For too long, I have allowed fearful thoughts to dominate my life. Now I recognize fear as a misuse of the creative imagination that has been placed inside me. In the past, I have allowed fear to shove all hope aside. No more! Fear no longer has any power to stop me from doing what I know to be right and true. I am no longer afraid. I am courageous. Right now, I will do something.

The person who faces hardships gains no strength. Though I do not look for hardships, I am grateful for its results, for I have grown mighty in soil mixed with troubles. My roots are not deep. My mind and heart have become powerful A beautiful flower cannot be created without fertilizer. A dazzling gem cannot be polished without great friction and am better because of it. Now it is time for me to do something.

I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I can do something right now. Never again will I allow what I cannot do to interfere with what I can do. Circumstances are rulers of the weak. I am not weak. Neither discouragement nor despair will stop me from doing something and doing it now. I am strong minded. I can make myself do something I would rather not do, in order to get a result that I do want. I will do something. And I will do it now.

My life, which was once a question mark, is now a statement. Stormy seas do not scare me, for I am the calm in the storm. My past is behind me and my future is bright because I now know the secret of the present. I will do something and I will do it now.

Right now. I will do something for my family. Right now. I will do something for my friends. Right now. I will do something for those who do not even know my name. For my family, my friends, and the strangers of the world are valuable in my Creator's sight. I will let them know that I recognize that fact by my actions. I now know that my smile, my words, my attitude are actions. They are all under my control. I am prepared to run my race. I am ready to hit the mark. I will now do my part in restoring humanity to the pathway toward successful civilization.

I will do something. And I will do it right now!"

But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? (1 John 3:17)
True servants are merciful. They care. They get involved. They get dirty, if necessary. They offer more than pious words. And what do they get in return? What does Christ promise? "They shall receive mercy."

Those who remain detached, distant, and disinterested in others will receive like treatment. But God promises that those who reach out and demonstrate mercy will, in turn, receive it---from other people as well as from God Himself.

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