The following is a devotional led by Michael Alemu (VP of CH Canada and Global) at teh corporate office from this past Monday morning. I asked him if I could put it on the blog. It is a great message.
HOLDING ON TO CHRIST IN TIMES OF TROUBLE
Most of us have a role model, a hero, some one we look up to or help us build morale character, perseverance, leadership, etc. One of my heroes is my mother. She is in her late 70s now, raised 12 biological children, plus several other children, my cousins, children who were orphans and abandoned. Growing up, my parents were successful farmers and owned flour mills. We had crop farms, cattle, goats, horses and large farmland with a huge river cutting through it.
One of the characters I admired about my mother was her generosity to the poor. In those days, it was not unusual for my mother to give grain, food, money and shelter. She would send help to communities suffering from draught or calamities. We had several visitors, and people who just come and stay in our compound because there was food.
It bothered my father who tend to be tight with money. But I used to hear my mother say: “It is our gift to the God”. She knew from the priests teaching that when you give to the poor you give to Christ. Watching my mother’s act of generosity has shaped me a lot.
In the 1970s, time changed. The Government of Ethiopia Nationlized private land and redistributed it to peasants. My father was thrown in jail suspected of enticing revolt against the government. My parents lost everything of material value, their cattle, horses, and their mills. We moved away 350 Kms away from our home land and became internally displaced people.We had to start from the scratch.
That meant, my brothers and sisters after school at 8, 9 10 12, 13 years old had fetch water in 25 litres plastic containers and push it in a wheelbarrow or on the back of a donkey to sell each for less than 5 cents/container. They also would cut woods, carry it on their backs and earn 10 cents per load. With the money they bought food for the family. It was economically the darkest season in my parent’s lives. From a respectable compound and houses, they moved into a tiny mud hut. I was conscripted in the army at 17. One time I brought some money for my parents from my army allowance. Despite their abject poverty, my mother went to the local church on Sundays to give for the nothing that she had to those who were worse off. Her heart of generosity, hospitality to the poor, and her believe that better days will come, never changed. She held tight to her faith, encouraged her children for good education despite her illiteracy.
It is easy to give from our abundance, but it is genuine sacrifice and obedience when you have so little to give. Jesus talked about the poor widow’s offering in Mark Chapter 12:41-44. “She out of her poverty has put everything she had her whole living…. It challenges all tight-fisted Christian today. When Jesus said that "the poor widow has put in more than all the others," He “was probably saying that the gifts of the rich were nothing but religious acts through which they could show off their religiosity”.
How should Christians Respond in Times of Financial Crisis?
We are witnessing turbulent times, thanks. Our own greed, speculation, covetousness, excessive need for more created this mess. Now of course, FEAR and comparing this time to the Great Depression that followed the stock market crash. At the height of the Depression Canadian unemployment reached to 27%; businesses were wiped the gross national product dropped 43%. Families saw most or all of their assets disappear. Canadian exports shrank by 50%.
Some of you are worried about your future. I recently checked my RRSP, and it has drastically gone down in value. Well, I said it is still better than the $150 that I came with to Canada in 1984. I don’t know what the future holds for you, the global market, or But these are teaching and learning moments for all of us.
Here are some points that I have been pondering over the last several weeks;
(1) Am I a good steward? A steward is one who is entrusted with what belongs to another and therefore he must periodically give account of his stewardship. Jesus said, if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? (Luke 16:10-12). It is not just the sub-prime mortgage mess, we are told it is also the personal debt of Americans at record levels, that created the mess …
a) So first, we put our own houses in order. delay gratification, cut back on holiday spending, less swiping the credit card.
b) Go green, paper products, delay a computer purchase, first windows XP…Can we as departments seriously look at our stewardship and can we shore up our individual and collective stewardship starting November 2008?
c) Recommit to the poor …Robert Zoellick, World Bank president said poor countries are already struggling with high prices for energy and food. "The poorest and must vulnerable groups risk the most serious -- and in some cases, permanent -- damage," "One hundred million people have already been driven into poverty this year and that number will grow."
(2) How much do I need anyways? It is important that we have perspective on money. 2350 Scripture verses on finances and generosity in God's Book, now is the time for us to learn Biblical financial and generosity principles." Have a responsible budget. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, …but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:2-4, 19-34…If you don’t have a plan, this is a good time to have one. I am married 21 years now. One of the first things we talked through was about money. Annual budget, giving, retirement. So it ended up she keeps the money and I stay as far away from it as possible.
(3) Rest on God’s Promise: If you are in financial gutter, keep looking at the stars. And consider what blessing might emerge out of these hard economic times, and look for God’s moment. Christianity Today, “Christians are called to do the best things in the worst of times. Above all, remember this: God is on his throne. Maybe the "eat, drink, and be merry" attitude of Americans needed a little adjustment — as does the spiritually casual attitude of the church. Here is what Jesus says to you…For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? If I can trust God for my eternal life, I sure can trust him with food, shelter and clothing. Because He has promised
Ö I Peter 5:7 "Cast all your cares upon Him because he cares for you."
Ö Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10
Psalms 46:1-3God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
4) REMEMBER …Memory gives hope …”Remember” 176 times in the Bible… Memory brings Hope…“ I recently asked my mother how she SURVIVED during those dark days. She answered I never let go of hope. She DREAMED that all her children will come together around a dinner table SOMEDAY with laughter and joy. I WAS A REFUGEE NEVER TO RETURN BACK. One of my brothers was in the battle front. It finally came together. What she has always wished for has come to be. When we get together, we never fail to remember the hard days, we laugh, we cry, and we ask 'How did we get through all of that?” You see; now all of us work (teachers, pharmacist, doctor, mechanic, business, hospital administrator, NGO director, etc) and live a decent life. We built our parents a beautiful retirement home, she has maids, and retired and enjoying her days surrounded by grandchildren. My mothers greatest joy still is to go to church on Sundays and be with the poor or invite them to her house on holidays. I am closer to Christ when I am closer to the poor.
May God, enable us to keep things in perspective, and help us to overcome the many setbacks and adversities of life. May we share with the poor and marginalized from the abundance he has entrusted us with. Amen.
Most of us have a role model, a hero, some one we look up to or help us build morale character, perseverance, leadership, etc. One of my heroes is my mother. She is in her late 70s now, raised 12 biological children, plus several other children, my cousins, children who were orphans and abandoned. Growing up, my parents were successful farmers and owned flour mills. We had crop farms, cattle, goats, horses and large farmland with a huge river cutting through it.
One of the characters I admired about my mother was her generosity to the poor. In those days, it was not unusual for my mother to give grain, food, money and shelter. She would send help to communities suffering from draught or calamities. We had several visitors, and people who just come and stay in our compound because there was food.
It bothered my father who tend to be tight with money. But I used to hear my mother say: “It is our gift to the God”. She knew from the priests teaching that when you give to the poor you give to Christ. Watching my mother’s act of generosity has shaped me a lot.
In the 1970s, time changed. The Government of Ethiopia Nationlized private land and redistributed it to peasants. My father was thrown in jail suspected of enticing revolt against the government. My parents lost everything of material value, their cattle, horses, and their mills. We moved away 350 Kms away from our home land and became internally displaced people.We had to start from the scratch.
That meant, my brothers and sisters after school at 8, 9 10 12, 13 years old had fetch water in 25 litres plastic containers and push it in a wheelbarrow or on the back of a donkey to sell each for less than 5 cents/container. They also would cut woods, carry it on their backs and earn 10 cents per load. With the money they bought food for the family. It was economically the darkest season in my parent’s lives. From a respectable compound and houses, they moved into a tiny mud hut. I was conscripted in the army at 17. One time I brought some money for my parents from my army allowance. Despite their abject poverty, my mother went to the local church on Sundays to give for the nothing that she had to those who were worse off. Her heart of generosity, hospitality to the poor, and her believe that better days will come, never changed. She held tight to her faith, encouraged her children for good education despite her illiteracy.
It is easy to give from our abundance, but it is genuine sacrifice and obedience when you have so little to give. Jesus talked about the poor widow’s offering in Mark Chapter 12:41-44. “She out of her poverty has put everything she had her whole living…. It challenges all tight-fisted Christian today. When Jesus said that "the poor widow has put in more than all the others," He “was probably saying that the gifts of the rich were nothing but religious acts through which they could show off their religiosity”.
How should Christians Respond in Times of Financial Crisis?
We are witnessing turbulent times, thanks. Our own greed, speculation, covetousness, excessive need for more created this mess. Now of course, FEAR and comparing this time to the Great Depression that followed the stock market crash. At the height of the Depression Canadian unemployment reached to 27%; businesses were wiped the gross national product dropped 43%. Families saw most or all of their assets disappear. Canadian exports shrank by 50%.
Some of you are worried about your future. I recently checked my RRSP, and it has drastically gone down in value. Well, I said it is still better than the $150 that I came with to Canada in 1984. I don’t know what the future holds for you, the global market, or But these are teaching and learning moments for all of us.
Here are some points that I have been pondering over the last several weeks;
(1) Am I a good steward? A steward is one who is entrusted with what belongs to another and therefore he must periodically give account of his stewardship. Jesus said, if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? (Luke 16:10-12). It is not just the sub-prime mortgage mess, we are told it is also the personal debt of Americans at record levels, that created the mess …
a) So first, we put our own houses in order. delay gratification, cut back on holiday spending, less swiping the credit card.
b) Go green, paper products, delay a computer purchase, first windows XP…Can we as departments seriously look at our stewardship and can we shore up our individual and collective stewardship starting November 2008?
c) Recommit to the poor …Robert Zoellick, World Bank president said poor countries are already struggling with high prices for energy and food. "The poorest and must vulnerable groups risk the most serious -- and in some cases, permanent -- damage," "One hundred million people have already been driven into poverty this year and that number will grow."
(2) How much do I need anyways? It is important that we have perspective on money. 2350 Scripture verses on finances and generosity in God's Book, now is the time for us to learn Biblical financial and generosity principles." Have a responsible budget. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, …but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:2-4, 19-34…If you don’t have a plan, this is a good time to have one. I am married 21 years now. One of the first things we talked through was about money. Annual budget, giving, retirement. So it ended up she keeps the money and I stay as far away from it as possible.
(3) Rest on God’s Promise: If you are in financial gutter, keep looking at the stars. And consider what blessing might emerge out of these hard economic times, and look for God’s moment. Christianity Today, “Christians are called to do the best things in the worst of times. Above all, remember this: God is on his throne. Maybe the "eat, drink, and be merry" attitude of Americans needed a little adjustment — as does the spiritually casual attitude of the church. Here is what Jesus says to you…For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? If I can trust God for my eternal life, I sure can trust him with food, shelter and clothing. Because He has promised
Ö I Peter 5:7 "Cast all your cares upon Him because he cares for you."
Ö Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10
Psalms 46:1-3God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
4) REMEMBER …Memory gives hope …”Remember” 176 times in the Bible… Memory brings Hope…“ I recently asked my mother how she SURVIVED during those dark days. She answered I never let go of hope. She DREAMED that all her children will come together around a dinner table SOMEDAY with laughter and joy. I WAS A REFUGEE NEVER TO RETURN BACK. One of my brothers was in the battle front. It finally came together. What she has always wished for has come to be. When we get together, we never fail to remember the hard days, we laugh, we cry, and we ask 'How did we get through all of that?” You see; now all of us work (teachers, pharmacist, doctor, mechanic, business, hospital administrator, NGO director, etc) and live a decent life. We built our parents a beautiful retirement home, she has maids, and retired and enjoying her days surrounded by grandchildren. My mothers greatest joy still is to go to church on Sundays and be with the poor or invite them to her house on holidays. I am closer to Christ when I am closer to the poor.
May God, enable us to keep things in perspective, and help us to overcome the many setbacks and adversities of life. May we share with the poor and marginalized from the abundance he has entrusted us with. Amen.
1 comments:
Michael, what a lovely surprise to find this post and have the pleasure of reading about your family's history. As well, God has been speaking to me, and I am sure, many others, along the lines you wrote of, with regards to responsible stewardship. We cannot serve God and Mammon, and yet I think that I have been doing that, or trying to, for a long time. I realized the folly of that while away in England and having time to reflect. This "tough time" is actually a gift.
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