I don’t usually write posts like this, and I’ll probably make some people mad, but … here goes.

These words of love and compassion from Shane Claiborne still ring in my ears as I grieve over the tragedy in Haiti.

“God intends for the church to be the hands and feet of Jesus in today’s world and the Bible calls for believers to be the light of the world … when the next generation thinks of the church, they will think of compassion, justice, peace, reconciliation, gentleness and love and that Christians will be known not for who we are against, but for whom we love — everyone.”

Contrast Shane’s words of love and compassion with this statement from televangelist Pat Robertson (from CBS News):

As Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive said “well over” 100,000 people may have died in the national disaster, Robertson took to the airwaves Wednesday on his show and said that the country has been “cursed by one thing after another” since they “swore a pact to the devil.”

“Something happened a long time ago in Haiti and people might not want to talk about,” Robertson said Tuesday.

According to David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons, author of the book unChristian, Christians — and the church — have a less-than-stellar reputation. And statements like Robertson’s and this gem from author John Piper do little to represent Jesus’ unconditional love.

Christians are supposed to represent Christ to the world. But according to the latest report card, something has gone terribly wrong. Using descriptions like “hypocritical,” “insensitive,” and “judgmental,” young Americans share an impression of Christians that’s nothing short of … unChristian.

When a friend is diagnosed with a terminal illness, do we talk about the poor choices they have made?

Do we tell the bereaved family of a middle-aged heart attack victim that their loved one is gone because he was fat and sedentary?

Is it necessary to explain to the devastated parents of a teenager killed in a car accident that their child was a crappy driver?

Of course not. But I’m speaking the truth, you might say. Yeah. it might be the truth. Sometimes the truth hurts, but it must be spoken nonetheless. Those parents may have to deal with the fact that their child’s error caused the fatal accident. Sometimes family and friends have to intervene with harsh words in the life of an addict to bring them to the point of change. But sometimes, even true words just do not need to be spoken.

The difference is … love. In Ephesians 4:15 (The Message), the Bible tells us to tell the truth in love (emphasis mine).

God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do.

Of course there are times when tough words must be spoken, but it’s wrong to justify cruel words as truth when their aftermath is only pain. We must measure our words — both the sweet word and the hard ones — by Jesus’ example.

Please pray for the people of Haiti and donate what you can to support relief efforts.

Geremy, our sponsored child

This is Geremy. He’ll be eight years old on August 1. He lives in Nicaragua with his stepfather and mother. He makes beds and runs errands for his family, which includes three other children. He likes to play with cars, enjoys ball games and bicycling.

For some time we’ve been hearing about Compassion International, a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty (from Compassion’s Web site). The photos of the children have always moved me, and I’ve felt like we should sponsor a child, but never quite got around to it.

Back in March, Tony Campolo spoke at our church, Christ United Methodist. He gave a dynamic, challenging, eye-opening and moving talk as he challenged us as Christians to respond to the needs of the world around us with sacrificial love. (See my video interview with Campolo here). Then he ended his talk with an appeal to sponsor a child and I was hooked. The minute he began to talk about Compassion I knew it was time. 

Compassion has done a great job of highlighting their ministry overseas through social media. Last year, I followed the progress of 15 bloggers in Uganda as they shared daily updates through their blogs, Twitter and other social media sites.

This past Friday, a team of bloggers, a photographer, a videographer and three leaders left for Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), to visit and minister to the poor that Mother Theresa once served. That same day, the Compassion package with Geremy’s photo and biographical information arrived in my mailbox.

When I see photos and video of the children in India, read about sponsors who meet their sponsored child face-to-face, and consider the circumstances in these children must live, it makes me wish I’d gotten off my butt and sponsored a child sooner. And someday, maybe there will be a Compassion Bloggers’ trip to Nicaragua.

To learn more about Compassion India and sponsor a child from India, click the banner at the bottom of this page. Follow the bloggers’ progress through their individual blogs and Twitter profiles listed below and through this site. 

Compassion Blogging Team

Bloggers

Pete Wilson • Twitter
Melissa Fitzpatrick
Angela Smith • Twitter
Robin Dance

Photography

Keely Scott

Videography

Anne Jackson • Twitter

Leaders

Spence Smith • Twitter
Patricia Jones
Shaun Groves • Twitter

Sponsor a Child

It’s only $32 per month. For the price of a couple of pizzas, a child will receive:

• Nutritional supplements
• Clean water, as needed
• Bible teaching and learning about God’s love
• Medical checkups
• Encouragement from you — you can write to your child and even visit your child on a sponsor tour!

Get off your butt. Today. Sponsor a child.

Photo courtesy D Sharon Pruitt

Author and blogger Anne Jackson recently asked her readers the following question: If you could ask any question … about poverty, injustice, and how the church should respond … what would you ask? (read Anne’s post):

I commented on Anne’s blog with three questions — not particularly smart, poignant or profound questions, but they nag at me and, since this is my blog, let’s tackle Question One.

Why do some Christians care more about what others wear to church, what kind of music is played and other superficial things than poverty and injustice?

Maybe it’s my southern upbringing, but, for many people, church must be a dress-up affair. I’ve heard it said, “God deserves my best.” Of course He does. But … does He define best the same way we do?

I doubt it. Admittedly, I’m no Bible scholar, but based on what I know about Jesus, I don’t think He’d have been featured in GQ. My impression is that He dressed for comfort and practicality. I bet sometimes He worshipped His Father in dusty sandals.

As for music, there are lyres, harps, lutes, tambourines and cymbals mentioned in the Bible. This makes me think God likes variety, which just might be why He created us as unique beings in His image. Some of us are moved by traditional hymns, some like to rock and raise the roof and still others prefer a quiet, acoustic sound. It’s a matter of taste, the culture of the congregation and the community the church hopes to reach. Nothing more, nothing less. So why do we still fight about it?

It’s so easy to get distracted by surface issues; they are neater and cleaner to deal with than poverty, disease, war and injustice. Sometimes we translate not like us as not ok, but God calls us to look beyond these surface issues to the things that matter to Him, rather than cater to our own vanity, personal tastes and quest for status.

I like this post from Scott Hodge, lead pastor of The Orchard Community in Aurora, Illinois.

Sacred Reminder

The programs aren’t sacred.

The methods aren’t sacred.

The ministries aren’t sacred.

The service times aren’t sacred.

The communication style isn’t sacred.

The committees aren’t sacred.

The bylaws aren’t sacred.

The denomination isn’t sacred.

The style of music isn’t sacred.

The color of carpet isn’t sacred.

The font that’s used on in the bulletin isn’t sacred.

The only thing that’s sacred is the mission of Jesus.

Sometimes we just need to be reminded …

Photo credit: Pink Sherbet Photography

I am nauseated. I may never be able to eat another waffle again. Apparently, the Values Voter Summit (a right-wing conservative “family values” organization) thinks an “Aunt Jemima” parody is a humorous way to depict Barack Obama on a fake waffle box. You’ve probably seen it. I won’t link to it, or the Values Voter Summit as I don’t wish to give them even the small amount of traffic generated on this blog.

Focus on the Family, one of the sponsors of this conference, has never been my favorite organization, and particularly since they departed from practical advice for families to dive headfirst into far right politics. But this is too much; they have now lost me for life.

I wrote them the following:

I am appalled and incensed that an organization purporting to support Christian family values would tolerate and even find humorous, this racially demeaning caricature of Barack Obama on the waffle package.

Is this what passes for family values with your organization?

This attitude bears no resemblance to my family’s Christian values. I have taught my girls that God loves all of us equally — even Barack Obama, whether you agree or disagree with him. Racism is a sin, just as much as any of the other sins you love to rail about.

Obama and Hilary Clinton are just as precious in the sight of God as James Dobson. No better, no worse. I don’t believe it pleases God in any way for Christians to laugh at and perpetuate racism and portray Obama in this offensive way.

Talk about his policies that you agree or disagree with. But don’t stoop to tactics that leave Satan rubbing his hands in glee.

Is this really the way Christians need to treat each other? Are you pleased with your cleverness? Do you think you are funny? I don’t and I doubt that many African-American Christians do, either. Don’t you think that Christ calls us to at least be respectful and treat each other with love?

There is no love in racism.

The facts: just so you know: I am a white, middle-aged wife (21 years) and mother of two and attend church every Sunday and Bible study every Thursday. I am neither Democrat nor Republican and still don’t know who I’m voting for, so there is no political motivation for this letter. Just a desire to see Christians behave more like Christ.

Do I think they will respond? I doubt it. I’ve never given them any money and never will. But I hope they do. I hope they are filled with remorse for representing Jesus in such a sorry way. I disagree with Obama on some things; I agree with him on others. That’s inconsequential. He is a child of God.