You have heard that expression, laugh or cry.\u00a0 \u00a0 There was the straw that broke the camel’s back, but it was a California Camel so straws weren’t allowed.<\/p>\n
I have reached the point I’d throw in the towel, only it would create more laundry.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0And we have reached a point when it seems our economy has rebounded so well that today Colin Kaepernick has a job.<\/p>\n
Everyone it seems is employed or deployed.\u00a0 But me.<\/p>\n
I have heard that since American Christians do not experience persecution, we get tribulation.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0And God is turning up the tribulation to levels not experienced before.\u00a0 \u00a0We don’t like the pressure.\u00a0 We are seeing what we are made of.\u00a0 It is a bit scary to see.<\/p>\n
I might be cynical, I might see that the grass is greener next door and that the glass is half empty, bruised and battered, and the glass is breaking.\u00a0 Regardless, I think I might be seeing things right – what I see going on today is the pressure is on and it has turned Christians into bitter and back biting murmurers and complainers and it has made our hearts calloused to the needs of others.\u00a0 \u00a0 The bible says if we see a need, we should meet it.\u00a0 Instead Christians grab hold of the verse that says “everyone should carry their own burden.”\u00a0 \u00a0This can mean that the lay people need to look to everyone but the church for help.\u00a0 The church must be saved at all costs so if you have to, sell a kidney, sell your heart, sell something to stay afloat.\u00a0 But do not expect the church to be there and do not forget to tithe.\u00a0 \u00a0That is why you are starving and your children have old shoes – you forgot to tithe and used your last 2 mites on milk and mittens.<\/p>\n
I had been the one giving and footing the bill and at church every time the doors were open.\u00a0 We gave an inheritance, a car, our time, our health, our sanity, and more to the church over the years.\u00a0 And about 10 years ago, I lost a pharmacy job because I was biblically against the morning after pill.\u00a0 \u00a0The church did not respond like I expected.\u00a0 They did not give\u00a0 you a “wow, that is terrible.\u00a0 We will be praying. We will take up an offering.\u00a0 You gave so much and now you will be rewarded for your courage and boldness and we will show the members and the lost that the church will be there for you when you are persecuted for righteousness!”\u00a0 Instead, we were looked at as we must be in the cross hairs of God’s judgment and no one wanted to get contaminated.\u00a0 Oh, we would get an “I’m praying for you!” response, but I have learned that usually means, “I am saying that so I can go back to my normal life without letting what you are going through affect me and I am not going to be moved so please accept this as the greatest thing I can do and I will pray that someone else cares more than I do to help with the situation.\u00a0 \u00a0And please now go away.\u00a0 Masterchef is coming back on.”<\/p>\n
I might be pouring on the sarcasm, but something is wrong today.\u00a0 My sister in law is in a bad situation.\u00a0 She is married to someone who will abandon her and not provide food for her or her 6 children, but he will make sure he has a shiny office and nice vehicle and he will do live music videos and he plans on being famous one day.\u00a0 \u00a0And he makes her work and support his dream while he goes where ever he wants, even if it’s clear he’s cheated on her.\u00a0 She puts up with it because she is so beat down in life.\u00a0 We have interceded and she sticks up for him, but when he leaves her for days and there is no food, we don’t take out the lecture notes and make her feel guilty.\u00a0 She feels bad herself.\u00a0 But we go to Aldi’s and fill up the car with groceries and make her day.\u00a0 \u00a0 We see a need without pouring salt in the wounds, and without holding it against her for the next 5 years.<\/p>\n
We get attacked for helping, we get accused of enabling, we get scolded, and we get attitude.\u00a0 But where the criticism comes the loudest is from those who we couldn’t help because we helped her instead.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 If you give someone a fish they can fish for a day.\u00a0 If you teach someone to fish they can eat for a lifetime.\u00a0 If you give someone a fish in front of someone who likes fish but refuses to buy their own fish because they would rather jet ski than fish, you get grief for months after.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0It is ok to bring people fish, but you better have enough to go around.\u00a0 And plenty of lemons and tarter sauce.<\/p>\n
It gets fun when all of a sudden you aren’t the rich uncle anymore and the blood dries up the leeches were feeding from.\u00a0 Instead of another Rich Uncle jumping in and saying, “Rest my son.\u00a0 I will get it from here!” the families all gang up on the generous black sheep and say, “HA!!! you are out of money now!!!! Serves you right for helping people! That is why we won’t help anyone and why we aren’t helping you!\u00a0 Keep your money next time for yourself.\u00a0 If you ever get any again!”<\/p>\n
Money divides people and families and churches.\u00a0 When things dry up people will turn into cannibals and fight for their share.<\/p>\n
That is not what JESUS did.\u00a0 \u00a0The little boy with the lunch gave his lunch to Jesus and Jesus fed 5,000 and that little boy.<\/p>\n
The church today says you can’t out give God.\u00a0 The church says give it all away (to US) and then when you need it God will be there.<\/p>\n
But the trick they will pull is when that finally happens, you are left footing the bill.\u00a0 Because they will interpret that moment to be that you are being judged now by God.<\/p>\n
This situation is forcing me to look to Jesus for my help.\u00a0 \u00a0My help cometh from the Lord who made heaven and earth.<\/p>\n
But if you happen to be a billionaire reading this, I won’t refuse your help either.\u00a0 \u00a0Or your fishsticks.<\/p>\n
IlardoCo@gmail.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
You have heard that expression, laugh or cry.\u00a0 \u00a0 There was the straw that broke the camel’s back, but it was a California Camel so straws weren’t allowed. I have reached the point I’d throw in the towel, only it … Continue reading