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February 12, 2012

Home > 2008 > AugustChristianity Today, August, 2008
FOOLISH THINGS
Ancient Parable, Urgent Time
We face a challenge of both global and spiritual proportions.




Cyclone Nargis swept through Burma's low-lying Irrawaddy Delta on May 2. The 2004 Asian tsunami had stripped the terrain of much of its protective vegetation. Initial reports indicated that tens of thousands of people, unwarned by Myanmar's military junta, died in the howling winds, storm surge, and flooding.

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

International relief agencies geared up to save lives in the critical first hours and days after the disaster, before a host of diseases and injuries drove the death toll far higher. But the government stymied their efforts.

Robert Gates, the U.S. secretary of defense, complained of the thuggish regime's "criminal neglect." With more than 133,000 feared dead and millions more affected or homeless, other observers, including Benedict Rogers of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, accuse Myanmar's overseers of committing crimes against humanity.

Then the King will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."

Days later, an earthquake registering 8.0 on the Richter scale shook China's southwestern Sichuan Province, killing more than 69,000 people. Much of the region's infrastructure was destroyed. Observers, noting China's massive relief and rescue mobilization, couldn't help but also notice that shoddy construction due to government corruption greatly exacerbated the devastation.

Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?" The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

"We have been tremendously encouraged by the generosity of both our existing donors and donors giving to us for the first time," World Vision's Randy Strash said. "Massive natural disasters like these bring out the compassion in people; many see them as 'must-give' situations—recession or no recession. It's life or death. People understand both the urgency of the need and the impact their donation will make. That's why we're not seeing any signs of donor fatigue among our supporters. In fact, in the case of Myanmar, we expect to raise four times what we initially estimated."

Then he will say to those on his left, "Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me."

Meanwhile, the prices of staple foods worldwide have jumped 80 percent during the last three years. The global food crisis is widely viewed as a failure of international planning and leadership, involving consumption outstripping production; diversion of significant areas of food acreage in the United States to produce bio-fuels such as ethanol; and government policies that keep farmers from growing crops in poor countries, among other factors.





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Displaying 1–5 of 16 comments

michael klein

August 27, 2008  12:58pm

does anyone out there know of any online courses i studied philosophy and psyschology know its time to study the most important person in the world I want to help youths to get out of gangs and dope with I got know cash cause of head injury cause of my lifestyle anyways lead me to a good course

Eddie Francisco

August 20, 2008  1:40pm

Yes, we need to spread the Gospel in Myanmar and yes, there are other issues. But Guthrie makes a good point. If I understand him correctly, we have done well to respond to the crises in Myanmar and China, but meanwhile we sit idly by while the food crisis brews. We support policies that encourage using food to make ethanol while millions face starvation. God will judge such policies.

Thomas

August 20, 2008  8:54am

I question why the solution to these things always comes back to dollar value. I never tried, but I don't think that dollar bills have much nutritional value. What needs to be done for this crisis is to grow more food, and to do it with respect for the rules that God set down in the Pentateuch. Instead of pulling out the card to make a donation, how about getting a bunch of like-minded Christians together to go to an area of the world near a needy area that has fertile land and grow some food? Suggestions: Zambia, Tanzania, anywhere in South America, maybe even unused areas of the United States as not-for-profit farms. This will take a little seed money for transportation and equipment initially, but the value will be multiplied an unknown amount. This might seem unrealistic, but many hands can make light work.

Jonathan

August 20, 2008  8:51am

Key to Christ's comments is the humility that we simply do what we can. The idea that somehow mankind can solve these international problems without God is preposterous and arrogant in the extreme. The UN and many international organizations throw out the truth that God controls the weather and can make the desert bloom. He still responds to repentant hearts. However, it is still incumbent on each of us to do what we can. We will each be judged individually for our generosity with the poor; let us simply refuse to think we can "solve" the world food crisis without God. God forgive us and show mercy on us. Nevertheless, God will still judge idolatry, greed and immorality. Repentance is still the kindness and most loving thing we can encourage. While we encourage repentance, we must all continue to be generous personally.

JohnH

August 20, 2008  5:22am

Re price of food. Please have a good look a the effect of the USA & EU farm subsidies on world food prices. They have driven them down. This has prevented farmers in the unprotected parts of the world from making a good living. So less investment in farming, roads and education. Not good. Consider the biofuel industry, how much is this just hidden subsidies for 1st world farmers for local political gains. Adjusting for inflation, the price of wheat to day is still lower than when my grandfather nearly went broke in the 1930's. Cheap imported food deprives local farmers of development $’s.

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