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Previous Challenge Entry
Topic: Poor (10/25/04)
TITLE: DIRT WATER
By george elerick
10/31/04
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Three small buttons find their way to the decaying earth, and a smile follows thereafter. Nothing is going to ruin his day, this is the first suit he has ever worn and nothing is going to get in the way of his happiness, nothing. The frame of his roof has now found its way to the ground,a part of it was torn away when the dust bowl came through, but they still have refuge even if a little to save them from the storms to come.

Gift Receipts are thrusted upon a counter at a nearby Macy's. He didn't like what he got, so, her turned it in for cash. Earlier that day, you could have heard him a block away cursing his now defunct Cd Player because his batteries went dead.

What have we become?

We complain about "Fast Food" choices and when our lights go out. When they, (and that is how we see them), as they, a completely different species of sorts are grateful for moth-eaten suits and dust sprinkled water.

I ask: What have we become?

They are the pure in heart, they will see God before we will. I truly wonder who are the poor ones in this grand scheme of rich and poor. I truly wonder if we as the believers are the poor ones, calling, crying out for some justice to be done and waiting for someone other than us to do it.

We spend our money guiltlessly and sometimes with guilt for those in need, but do we do anything more than just toss up a prayer and walk on by?

Millions die and we live and complain about how dirty our carpets are and how we need new shoes, when there are millions striving just to live, striving for a drink of "dirt water" to get them through to the next week.
I truly wonder if Jesus had the extra $50 for shoes would he buy it? This may not be your calling, but, what about to those who sit by comfortably and give nothing more than 10% and occasionally $40/month to World Vision. Why don't you go? Why don't you spread the same arms that were spread for you? It is sad if nothing is done, no, it is a true tragedy for the kingdom of God, because we are called to help the widow, fatherless, and the poor.

All of his life he had walked passed the doorman non-chalantly and never said more than "hi, how are you?". He had never given him a second thought. Then one day the doorman asked this oblivious gentleman this one question: "Do you know who I am?" and the man answered bewildered: "Why, you're the doorman of 2134 Oscar Lane".
The doorman replied: "Actually, I am the president of this building and half this block sir, I just thought you should know that." The man walked off confused more than ever.

That's us, we have created an impoverished view of who God is. We have knelt him down to be nothing more than a doorman to heaven, which is one of his roles yes, but, we have taken all he is in his entirety and "dumbed him down" to divine spiritual janitor. He is God, period, nothing less, nothing more. He is the Alpha, the Omega, The Bright and Morning Star. Have you made God poor by your faith?

We must see him as a judge, as a lover, as a friend, as a savior, as our creator, as an author, as an artist and so many more titles we could go on. But, we cannot reduce him to a poor beggar, begging for us to come home. He is not and never will be. But, by serving those poor beggars we must remind ourselves, we serve him.