I was reading through my old facebook notes, and ran across this one. As I re-read it, I realized that it is something that I need to read and re-read over and over again. And if I need to, perhaps it might do good to repost it here. Enjoy.
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In the past few months, I've been able to see a pattern of how I operate, and the things that really make me who I am. It's been interesting, because I've never seen it as strong in myself as I have recently, though as I look back on the last 26 years of my life, I see it weaved throughout my past. I am a fighter. I fight for things that are right, I fight for people I love, I fight for friendships I care about, I fight for what I believe in. Things that are important to me, things that I care about: these are the things I'm willing to spend the rest of my life trying to make right, in whatever capacity needed and possible. And I'm struck with this thought:
what if everyone fought for things that were important to them?
We spent our entire lives fighting to make wrong things right? We stopped caring about material wealth, and started caring about millions of people all over the world who have no access to clean water. That we would start caring about the millions of young girls who are sold into sex trafficking each year. Or that we would care about the people who live in our own city, who live in poverty because of the circumstances of their life? A few weeks ago, I was sitting on the front porch with a friend of mine who looked me in the eye, and asked me this: "Why Africa? Why not Kansas City?" And let me assure you, this question still haunts me. It causes me to look at my life, and wonder what I can do to make sure that I'm fighting for people around me. This friend has no issues with me going to Africa, but it's clear that her heart is about here. And shouldn't mine be, too? It's incredibly beautiful that I have an opportunity to spend the summer in Ethiopia, and I hope to continue going back to Zeway over and over again, but there are at least nine months out of the year that I'm in Kansas City - and what am I doing here? Is it enough? Not enough by my standards - but enough to really make a difference in the life of one person. Am I spending my energies fighting for those that live in poverty, for those that live under the bridge at I-35 and West Penway, for those that just need a meal? Or am I consuming my energies in myself? Let me assure you - these are incredibly overwhelming thoughts and questions, but I believe if we dare to entertain them, and even more so dare to act on them - we will begin to see not only our lives radically change, but those lives that we are fighting for will begin to be different. And as we only hope it could, an entire domino effect could begin around our city, around our nation, and eventually, around our world. I am called - WE are called - to be difference makers. Whether that is as a christian or humanitarian, there is a world out there who need us to begin the fight. Who need us to stand up for them, who need us to live radically different than everyone else. I don't know about you, but I want to leave a legacy that means something for generations to come.
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