Wednesday, October 2, 2013

The Privilege of Lekol

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
                                                                          Luke 12:48b

    I love to watch all the Haitian school children walking along the road in their clean uniforms, backpacks on their back, ready to take on a new year of learning. The opening of school here is October 1st. We have been getting ready for it by helping Sydney (Pastor Marky's wife, and training as one of the Lutheran Church Haiti's first deaconesses) with the scholarship program. There are over 200 children in this program currently, thanks to many donors in the US and a few faithful souls that organize and advocate for more donors. 
    School in Haiti is for those who can afford it, and that number is much scarcer than you or I can reconcile in our middle class minds. I homeschool my children by choice. It is important that I recognize this choice, in itself, as a privilege and Praise the Lord for His goodness. 
     My friend posted an article on Facebook recently about the ability to choose to opt out of immunizations. Another privilege that can easily be taken for granted. 
     Electricity...can I get a shout out from the missionary wives? It is a joyful moment everyday (or every few days sometimes) when the electricity turns on. How many light switches have I flicked in my life without even considering it. Even my cold shower at night, it comes from a faucet that runs inside my house, when most of my neighbors have buckets and if they are so blessed, filters. Privilege.
     As I sat this week homeschooling my own four beautiful children, I was taken back by the privilege of education. Most of us reading this have been given so much privilege  In fact all of us able to read, able to access a computer, even not our own, with the internet, have been given a gift. We could believe we are simply born to the right people, in the right place, at the right time, all stars aligning for our future. But clearly there is more than this. If I could deny it before, I will never deny it again. Who I am, the specific time and place on this earth that God has chosen for me...they are no accident, no mistake. God has a plan for every precious moment of it, for every dark and light place I find myself in. It is all His.
    I used to find joy in the above verse because it spoke forgiveness in my life. And it most certainly still does! I have been forgiven much and therefore may forgiveness ooze from my pores by God's grace. But isn't it wonderful that God can take a single Bible verse and speak wisdom and grace over many facets of our lives? I have received much, may what I give be even a fraction of what has been given me. You have the very Spirit of the Living God living in you- What great things He has planned! 



     
    



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