My world and how I see it

I got an e-mail from a friend yesterday. She just wanted to talk, vent a little. Anyway, in the e-mail she started to tell me a little about what had been going on. Kinda made my stuff not so bad ya know. Well, anyway, it got me to thinking some. There are people struggling, with some serious needs and we are missing it because we are so wrapped up in our own worlds. I think we need to start looking out for each other more. Our economy is awful right now and everyone is in some way suffering because of it; married, single, divorced, all of us. And as big as our problems are, there are people doing worse than us. Maybe you can't fix what is wrong, maybe all it takes is just a listening ear. Maybe it actually means you have to leave your little world and go places that you normally would not go. Literally. When we decide to do those things though, we need to make sure its not just so we can go and say "guess what I did".

Matthew 6: 1-4 Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

God wants us to help each other in any way possible. Now, I say this part and I probably have to be really careful.. but this is just me. I know that there are so many people in other countries doing without, dying everyday because of lack of food, water, no education, etc. But I also think that before we send all our money to other countries, we need to help the ones that are right in our own town, right here in Albany, GA (or where ever you are). I would contend that there are people who you work with, live by or even go to church with (yes church) that are struggling. And not all of these people are struggling because they are lazy.. things just happen. We have no right to judge anyone. But God said

"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:17-18

I'm not saying just go out and start giving away money or things (or maybe you should), but I am saying just be aware of what is going on and step out of your box a little to help someone else. People are struggling all over right now in different ways. Alot of them are not going to come up to you and say, " HEY I NEED HELP", I guess that's a pride thing. So its up to us to go to them. Don't even think that what you do wouldn't be enough for someone. You never know how a kind word or a hug makes a day better.

I love you all, God willing , we'll talk tomorrow!!