Sunday Snapshot: Giving and Serving

A while back I began reading Radical by David Platt. Wow! What an amazing book. No, not one that makes you feel good about yourself, but one that is full of convicting thoughts and powerful stories of ordinary people radically living out the gospel. 

One thing that really stood out to me while reading this book was a question that David tells about the time he was preparing to go on a mission trip overseas. Someone responded with this question: 

"Why don't you just send the three thousand dollars? Wouldn't that be a better use of the money? Think of how far that money could go." 

I was asked this very question before my trip to Uganda last year. I wrestled with that question, and didn't really have an answer to respond with. And like David, I also asked myself this question:  "Was I wasting these funds in order to go?"


David didn't have an answer to this question either, until he was already there:

I continued wrestling with that question until I got to Sudan. There I had a conversation with Andrew that shed some light on the situation...
"Do you want to know how you can tell who a true brother is? A true brother comes to be with you in your time of need."

When I read this part of the book it was all finally beginning to come together. But it got even better! He goes on to say:

When God chose to bring salvation to you and me he did not send gold or silver, cash or check, he sent HIMSELF, His son.


How will I ever show the Gospel to the world if all I ever send is my money? 


Was I really show shallow to think that my money is the answer to the needs in the world? If we are going to accomplish the global purpose of God it will not be primarily through giving our money, as important as that is, it will happen primarily through giving ourselves. This is what the gospel represents and it's what the gospel requires. 

Think about that for a minute! How true is that? 


Maybe instead of giving, God is calling you (and me) to GO and SERVE!?!

I think YES!

*Pictures from Uganda 2010 trip