Ignorance...not so bliss

Water, food, clothing and shelter, these four things are essential to survival. As a thinking person and a passionate follower of Jesus, I find myself recoiling in shame at my own blind ignorance and cavalier disregard for personal accountability to the people and the world I live in.

 We’ve all heard the old adage: “What you don’t know can’t hurt you.”

Just a head’s up on that: what you don’t know can hurt you; it can even kill you and other precious people you haven’t even met.

 I submit to you a challenge: Your assignment..should you choose to accept it:

WATER

I challenge you to research bottled water and water mining

in the US and Canada and around the world.

(check out documentaries: “Tapped” and “Blue Gold” )

FOOD

I challenge you to research your major food processing companies:

their practices and their standards.

CLOTHING

I challenge you to research where your clothes are made

and worker conditions in those countries.

SHELTER

I challenge you to assess your standard of living,

the home and possessions you feel entitled to

and the true COST of Living.

 I challenge you to redefine NEED 

 Over the past few months I have deliberately begun to view life through what I like to call: "My Jesus Filter”. The process has slowly become pro-active instead of just re-active.It has become a matter of seeking his heart and being alert, aware of the responsibilities that come from being a follower of Jesus. Aware of my need for his interpretation of events and circumstance instead of my own natural inclinations.

It’s a push pause filter that allows what I am seeing or reading or experiencing to be re-routed through the Word of God and the character of Christ.This process enables me to filter my thoughts, my beliefs, my response…mentally, emotionally and physically through the Holy Spirit. It brings new meaning to the words: “waiting upon the Lord ", and enables me to be: “slow to speak".

 Sometimes I wonder if it is harder to "lose" my life...

...lay it all down while I am still living...

...than to die for the sake of the gospel.

Something's gotta give. I don't think I will be able to plead ignorance with any conviction in this Age of Information.I want to live without excuses. I want my soul preserved...not my lifestyle and comfort.

" The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom... "

~~ Psalm 11:10 ~~

 The sheep and the goats come to mind with horrifying regularity. Working out my salvation with "fear and trembling" has become such a profound reality, putting everything into perspective...God's perspective.
I know I am deeply loved. My love is growing in direct response to that stunning reality. My life is changing significantly the more I seek Him and the more I surrender.
Shouldn't knowledge demand a response...something like:

How then should we live ????

I have eyes to see and ears to hear. Knowing things is difficult..because you become responsible for what you know...and seeing things...oh God...have mercy...we've GOT to open our eyes !

..because really...at the end of all things do you seriously believe that: Ignorance will truly be ...bliss?????

"Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."

~~ James 4:17 ~~