Good News?

Some days you just can't hide from it.

Photographer Gary Chapman has a short video up on his blog.

Miriam Wanjekeche is 26 years old and giving her life to 10 adoptive children. In this 3-minute video she speaks about her children and the hope she has for them. The still photos were shot at her home as well as three other homes we visited.

Click here to watch the video, then come back for a moment.

Here's the thing we can't hide from. If the gospel you and I are representing doesn't have something to say to Miriam (beyond, "Its OK, Jesus knows your pain" and "Hey, don't worry, you and the kids will go to heaven when you die), if it isn't good news for Miriam, then it's just not the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Most days we can pretend this isn't the case. Most days we can pretend that the gospel is about being nice people, believing the right things, living a good life, and going to a good church. Most days though, we don't have to face Miriam.

I'm going to think about that for a while.

Comments

[Betty T]

mike...what a moving video...keep this up we all need to see these suffering children.

[robert]

if an idea, concept, religion, philosophy, sales pitch, whatever, relies on the notion that your reward will come in the next life, whether that reward is heaven or 72 virgins, then that idea, concept, philosophy, etc. is bankrupt of any useful ideas for improving life on earth and is guilty of an unconscionable bait and switch.

Keeping miserable people living in misery under the pretext that the next life will be really good is a crime against humanity.

[Dave T]

MIKE: As I listened to the video I immediately thought of that powerful incident in 2 Kings 7 and the siege of Samaria when the 2 starving lepers ("Let's go-we have nothing to lose-if we die we die") finally went out to the camp of the Syrians and discovered the enemy had fled and left tons of food, water and supplies behind. I can imagine the first reaction:it's all OURS! Enjoy! Then the light went on..."WE DO NOT WELL." Robert is correct-for us fat cats in the West to thank God for the "Good Life" and not share is indeed unconscionable and something we will be called to explain. DRT

[Mike]

You know you've written one of those posts when the only comments you get are from your parents and your friend the atheist....

[gary S. Chapman]

Thanks for this link on your blog. Sometimes you wonder if anyone sees the stuff! Enjoyed reading a lot of your posts. Thanks.