We have all witnessed and discussed the devastation that occurred in Haiti over the past week. The death toll and extensive destruction that this series of earthquakes have rendered is unheard of until now. The loss is immeasurable. And while this is reason for solemn reflection, it has also been a time of solid reaction. And as the catastrophe in Haiti has lead to endless empathy and question, it has also lead to prompt action and inspiring levels of help and service that, to wit, have not been seen in a long, long time.
I suppose it’s easy to get cynical and jaded when things like this happen. We question God about the why’s and question one another about the how’s.
How do we respond? How do we understand all of this? How can I help? How can we, as individuals, make any difference?
In a culture of super-heroes, CEO’s, sports stars, and celebrities, we really have a hard time grasping onto the idea that a huge group of people doing small things on individual levels can make substantial impacts. We rely on individuals doing singular, mind-blowing things that aren’t common or realistic in order to see change happen. We wait for the game-changers. The heroes. The saviors.
Contrast that mentality with this one. Shortly following the disaster in Haiti, a company by the name of Mobile Accord began a campaign with one idea: make small donations easy, quick and realistic by the use of cell phones. With a simple text, you agree to be billed for a $10 donation that will appear on your next bill. Realistic. They were not attempting to be the hero and donate, out of their own pockets, enough money to make a dent in the need in Haiti. Instead, they realized the power of harnessing the group conciousness of the masses to the tune of $20 million as of 5 days ago.
$20,000,000.00!!!
That’s not a deniable amount of money. It’s not a nice donation.
It is substantial. It’s difference-making.
And it’s a perfect example of community.
There are literally hundreds of initiatives going on right now to extend hope and help to the people of Haiti. Donations being gathered, money being sent, and people travelling abroad…all in the hopes that their actions, though small in the scope of such tragedy, will make some kind of difference.
It’s amazing to consider all the things that are happening just in our home town. But it’s even more amazing to consider that this kind of thing is happening all over the country. Small works that, alone, would make little more that a drip in the bucket. Yet, because they are all happening at the same time with the same overall goal in mind, these small efforts will make for a giant impact. It’s an amazing phenomenon. It’s an encouraging idea.
And the Bible speaks of this specific idea of community in the book of Corinthians. In it, Paul tells us that we are, in Christ, a part of a larger body. We are all part of a larger whole. Yet, we are instructed that we can’t be superstars and we can’t all be alike. Imagery of a body made of only eyes brings a full understanding that it makes little sense to ever think that we should all do the same things in the same ways. Instead, God has given us each unique abilities and functions that serve the greater good of the community. (1 Corinthians 12:14-20)
This is community. This is God’s idea of everyone being involved. This is The Kingdom that Jesus spoke of while on this earth. You don’t have to be the hero to matter in the Kingdom. You don’t have to be the superstar. Instead, God promises a unique and specific role for everyone. A calling to be exactly who God made you to be. And while culture might tell all of us something very different, our Father not only condones little people doing little things for the glory of the whole, He actually prescribes it. Because, this way, He gets the glory in our efforts. He takes center stage. He is given all the credit.
I don’t know about you, but that is extremely refreshing to me. I can rest assured that I don’t have to take on the entire task of extending the Gospel to everyone in the world. I don’t have to do this alone. I don’t have to be the next Billy Graham. And as great as Billy was as a man of God, he didn’t even come close to reaching the entire world. He just did his part.
And I have to do my part.
I have to reach those God puts into my life.
You have to reach those God puts in yours.
And together, we are the body of Christ. Together, we can actually make some differences. Together, there’s no limit to what God can do through us.
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[...] I should throw that in there after the last paragraph) I believe, deep down, that there is goodness inherent in people. It’s junk like this that pushes me to wonder if I’m a fool for doing [...]