A lot of people equate being poor with having no money, but poor actually means to lack something. It became clear to me during Urbana that I'm actually poor too. Although I live in a house, and have the luxury of getting an education, eating whatever I want, and have a pet, I realize that I am lacking in ways that money can not fix.
During one of the seminars I went to, somebody (sorry I forgot who) made a point that many of us are actually poor in our relationships. What does he mean? He means that people don't have a wide variety of friends. For example, most of my friends are like me; Asian, middle-class, and from the city. I don't have many friends from other ethnic backgrounds, who come from high or low class families, or are from the country. I don't know a lot of different people, or cultures, or living styles. How can I relate and spread the gospel to people who are different from me if I don't know anyone different from me? If I have no experience interacting with these people, I won't be able to understand them.
Tony Chen in this video I shared previously also points out that I am poor in the way that I don't experience the dependence on God everyday, don't have a tight knit community with the people in my neighbourhood, and I don't make the most out of each day and my relationships because I don't know if I'll make it to the next day. Tony even says that he feels so poor that he's jealous of these people. Although they don't have money, they have much more in other ways. It's a sad realization to think that westerners think we're rich and can be satisfied with money and luxuries, but in reality we're really missing out on the more important things. The things that really matter are things that we take for granted and just toss aside. We have become so obsessed with money and possessions that we no longer see the need for God, close community, and we take living for granted. Maybe that's why so many "rich" people still feel empty at the end of the day. They know that something is missing.
I hope that I will always be able to keep this in mind. As Tony said, "poverty comes in all shapes and sizes". In what ways are you poor?
Solution - Hillsong
I spent most of the day in worship today, just playing the guitar and piano. Something I haven't done in a long time. I hope I will be able to make time for more worship this term even with school. I really need to make sure that I don't get sidetracked by school and forget about all that I've been learning and growing with God. I need to keep up with reading Scripture and prayer, and hopefully small group! Wow, I can't believe a new term is starting in just two days!!!! Anyway, this is a song that I came across today in my worship binder. I think it really resonates with what's been on my mind lately, with so much talk about people who are in need and about trying to make a difference in their lives, to be a light to those who live in darkness.
I read Acts 15 and 16 today!
During one of the seminars I went to, somebody (sorry I forgot who) made a point that many of us are actually poor in our relationships. What does he mean? He means that people don't have a wide variety of friends. For example, most of my friends are like me; Asian, middle-class, and from the city. I don't have many friends from other ethnic backgrounds, who come from high or low class families, or are from the country. I don't know a lot of different people, or cultures, or living styles. How can I relate and spread the gospel to people who are different from me if I don't know anyone different from me? If I have no experience interacting with these people, I won't be able to understand them.
Tony Chen in this video I shared previously also points out that I am poor in the way that I don't experience the dependence on God everyday, don't have a tight knit community with the people in my neighbourhood, and I don't make the most out of each day and my relationships because I don't know if I'll make it to the next day. Tony even says that he feels so poor that he's jealous of these people. Although they don't have money, they have much more in other ways. It's a sad realization to think that westerners think we're rich and can be satisfied with money and luxuries, but in reality we're really missing out on the more important things. The things that really matter are things that we take for granted and just toss aside. We have become so obsessed with money and possessions that we no longer see the need for God, close community, and we take living for granted. Maybe that's why so many "rich" people still feel empty at the end of the day. They know that something is missing.
I hope that I will always be able to keep this in mind. As Tony said, "poverty comes in all shapes and sizes". In what ways are you poor?
Solution - Hillsong
I spent most of the day in worship today, just playing the guitar and piano. Something I haven't done in a long time. I hope I will be able to make time for more worship this term even with school. I really need to make sure that I don't get sidetracked by school and forget about all that I've been learning and growing with God. I need to keep up with reading Scripture and prayer, and hopefully small group! Wow, I can't believe a new term is starting in just two days!!!! Anyway, this is a song that I came across today in my worship binder. I think it really resonates with what's been on my mind lately, with so much talk about people who are in need and about trying to make a difference in their lives, to be a light to those who live in darkness.
I read Acts 15 and 16 today!
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