When did we become so selfish?

Did you know that for the fiscal year of 2007 Starbucks had grossed $9,411,500,00o. That is approximately $25,784,931 a day. Over $25 million dollars each day is being spent on some sort of coffee/caffeine. Most people drink coffee in the morning to help jump start their day. Either they didn't sleep well or didn't get enough sleep. What about the homeless who can't even get just 1 good night's rest? How are we so much better than them?

Imagine sleeping outside every night. Imagine sleeping on a hard ground where you have to lay your head on something that does not even closely fit the description of comfortable. Imagine if, for just one day, everyone took the money they would have spent at Starbucks and placed it in a universal pot. This collection would be used to make sure that the homeless had something to lay their heads on at night.

Did you know that there are approximately anywhere from 1.5 - 3 million homeless people in America? Crazy to think about isn't it? Well while I was at Wal-Mart tonight I priced out the cost of brand new pillows. When is the last time you bought a pillow and paid more than $10 for it? I have done it plenty of times. I need to be comfortable right? Well they have pillows at Wal-Mart for $3.96 that are just as soft and durable as the $10 pillows. What was I thinking for spending over $10 on just 1 pillow for myself. At almost $4 per pillow, we could get 6,446,232 pillows for the homeless if we just decided to skip one day of Starbucks. Over 6 million pillows could be provided for people who have no where to sleep at night, but would at least have something comfortable to lay their heads on. That is double the amount of homeless people in America. We would have enough to buy every single homeless person a pillow AND still have money left over to help thousands of them get off the streets.

When did America become so selfish? Acts 20:35 states "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Why is this so hard for us to do?

I have been to quite a few churches in my lifetime. Most of them have only cared about what is going on inside of the 4 walls instead of what's happening on the outside. I believe I have finally found a place where the church whole heartedly wants to reach out to the homeless and the lost world. Not because they have to, but because they want to follow Christ's example. I have only been to 2 services at REFUGE, but am forever changed. Like I said in my blog last night, we were put on this earth to worship and follow Jesus. We know how it has affected and changed our lives, why would we not want to spread the goodness of God's love? Are we, as Christians, perfect? No. Am I perfect? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Many of you know the ups and downs that I have went through. But through God's grace, I am forgiven. Through His love and mercy, I have another opportunity to deny myself, take up my cross, and follow Him.

Thank you for humbling me Lord. From this moment on, I live my life for You.