Children Are Starving to Death

Death is everywhere.

"Why is it that a child's death amounts to a tragedy, but the death of millions is merely a statistic?" -Patrick McDonald

Out of nowhere, my mind has become preoccupied by the fact that children are dying in large amounts all over the world.
Death is everywhere, we're all flies on the windshield.
It's near and it.s far.
It's both personal and impersonal.
People die all the time for all kinds of reasons, but the children?
That's not right to me.
It was never right, but I was ignoring it.

I've spent so much of my life not doing anything to help the situation because it's just too big. I could give everything I have for the rest of my life and there would still be millions of people who would die in poverty.

Then I realized what I do. I make excuses of why not to act. I do this in so many other areas of my life, I come up with great reasons of why I shouldn't act, shouldn't do something. As far as this topic goes, here are some of my favorite excuses I've used in the past.

1. There are too many people to help. Any help I can offer would be like a drop of water in the desert.
2. There are already many organizations that are helping. They've got it.
3. I have my own kids to feed.
4. There is stuff I want. New car, big tv, nice clothes, ipad and so on... I deserve it. I can still help after I help myself...
5. Maybe I'll help when I'm in a better spot to make more of a difference.
6. I don't want my money to be wasted on administrative fees. I want it used wisely and there are just too many organizations to research.
7. I don't feel like it.

Those are just the ones that come to mind. If I'm honest with myself, I can admit that they are not logical reasons not to do something, but they are in fact excuses not to live a sacrificial life. 

The real truth here is that I am a selfish, self centered person,who is more interested in my kingdom than God's.  Ultimately, I love myself more than others.


That may be what I'm like now, but here is what God says I should like. What I want to be like.

Luke 3:11 "If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry."

James 1:27  Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

Mathew 25:31-46

I'm tired of not helping, of not doing anything. I believe Conservative Christians should stop being worried about what other people are doing and not doing and feed the hungry children instead. I believe liberal Democrats should worry less about what conservatives are not paying and feed the children.

So, everyday I find myself thinking about starving children and about what I'm going to do about it. For once in my life I want to do something. I'm reminded of a parable about Starfish a friend once shared with me.

One day, an old man was walking along a beach that was littered with thousands of starfish that had been washed ashore by the high tide. As he walked he came upon a young boy who was eagerly throwing the starfish back into the ocean, one by one.

Puzzled, the man looked at the boy and asked what he was doing. Without looking up from his task, the boy simply replied, "I'm saving these starfish, Sir".

The old man chuckled aloud, "Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?"

The boy picked up a starfish, gently tossed it into the water and turning to the man, said, "It made a difference to that one!"

And that's the way I want to be. I can't fix the problem but If I can save one life, it makes a differnce to that one. So, I am going to act, going to do something.

I have an idea, a plan, on what I can do to help feed starving children. I look forward to sharing it soon in another post.


What are your  reasons for not helping feed starving children? If you already do, what promted you to start? If you don't, do you want to change? Do you want to help me?

FYI: This is not a guilt trip on you. I have been inspired to rethink my past position and feel motivated to change. If you're not in the same place or feel that you already do plenty, thats great! I'm just sharing my heart.

"Let us be the ones who say we do not accept that a child dies every three seconds simply because he does not have the drugs you and I have. Let us be the ones to say we are not satisfied that your place of birth determines your right to life. Let us be outraged, let us be loud, let us be bold." - The Wise Brad Pitt