Find out how much God has given you and from it take what you need; the remainder is needed by others.

Saint Augustine

You’re probably going to be getting a lot of quotes from Saint Augustine.  A missions group I follow on FB called the World Race had a quote from him earlier and when I looked him up, he had amazing things to say in his time and I predict his books will be appearing on my shelves shortly.  This particular quote sits on heavily on my heart as I still feel like I should be doing something more.  I’m really considering the World Race next year.  The World Race is a yearlong mission trip that completely pulls you out of your comfort zone and takes you through 11 countries (which countries vary by date and route selected).  I’ve been thinking about the race for the past 5 or 6 months.  The route that seems to be calling me is July 2015, route 3. Through these countries:
India, Nepal, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Botswana, Swaziland, South Africa, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica
I have never in my life left the United States and I’m not entirely sure I’ve ever even really wanted to leave.  I discovered the World Race after reading the book Radical by David Platt (I really recommend reading this book).  The book is amazing and ever since I read it I’ve known I had to do more.  This route takes you through countries that suffer heavily in the trafficking area which is why it seems to me to be an ideal place to start. 

What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy.
Saint Augustine

I still find it so easy to forget the troubles of this world.  As Christians we should be actively seeking the chance to help the world.  Christ’s final act on earth was to tell us to go into the world.  Throughout the Bible it is made clear over and over the attitude of love Christians should have.

Ezekiel 16:49 “Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.”

1 John 3:17-18 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.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

Our hearts should be breaking for the world.  There is that popular praise and worship song… “Break my heart for what breaks yours, everything I am for your kingdom’s cause.”  These are shockingly powerful words.  Break my heart for what breaks Yours? Can you imagine having the heartbreak of the world poured out upon you?  Every bit of suffering God sees and feels.  Every victim, every tear.  We should be outraged and we should be doing more we should be taking action to help the poor, the needs, the victims.

Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul.
Saint Augustine

As a side note David Platt: the sermon is long but really amazing. It is on the danger of worldly desires and is the best/most important sermon I have ever heard.