open eyes, open hearts

I cannot get my mind around this horrible tragedy. More than that, my heart has just been broken to watch the desperation that people are feeling. This whole ordeal has just reopened my eyes to the reality of poverty and racial/class distinction that still exists within our society.

Now, I am not one who likes to politicize things too greatly, and I think that the expectations for response cannot solely lay with any one person or organization. I am saddened, however, when I hear people on the radio, or television, or next to me at the grocery store talking about how those people should have been able to save themselves. I have heard people make remarks about the ignorance of those waiting in their houses, and then screaming on their rooftops to be saved. But it is my opinion that many of these people have been crying out to be saved for a long time, and no one has heard them.

When you have no money in the bank, no car, and nowhere to go, escaping isn't as easy as it may seem. There has been amazing outpouring of love and compassion on the part of many people and organizations. I do not believe that these people are suffering in this aftermath because of their race. But it is necessary to realize that the majority of the population in New Orleans is black, and at least 1/3 of the population lives below the poverty level. We cannot close our eyes any longer.

Now as you can tell, this post is not flowing as well as some of my others. I do much better to stick to mushy posts about my baby boy than I do trying to talk about political matters! But for me, this is not about politics or race, or anything else...but people. People are hurting, people are dying, people are becoming so lost in the desperation for survival that they are turning to evil. And this is when we need Jesus more than ever.  Jesus makes so many statements in scripture that clearly point to his compassion for the poor, and he commands us to care for them as well. Whether we agree with or can identify with any one of those people...we are commanded to be the hands and feet of Jesus. And he made no distinctions...HE WANTS US ALL.