Poverty All Around

I love American Idol. It's a clean show that Jenna and I watch together and a weekly indulgence that we look forward to. Jenna calls it "The Singing Show" and was pretty upset when Haley was kicked off.

Tonight was "Idol Gives Back" night, and I really try to not get suckered into giving money to every charity that solicits money from us. If I did, we'd be giving to the motorcycle police people, the jr. motorcycle police people, and every other law enforcement group who tries to get our money every week. As I watched the footage of the poverty in our own country and in others, I was reminded of a time a few years ago when I encountered such poverty that was in my own backyard.

When we lived in Houston, I volunteered for the crisis pregnancy center in a very poor part of town. One day, two young mothers came in asking for money for milk for their babies. Their WIC had run out and they had no place to turn and no milk for their babies. That is something that has never been in my world. We know what it's like to live below the poverty line, but I've never not had a few dollars for a gallon of milk. That experience reminded me that poverty is real and an issue that God calls us to give our attention to.

It's so easy to not think about it and worry about our own lives and problems, which seem so small next to people who struggle to pay for things that we take for granted like food and medical care. God tells us to take care of the poor and I struggle to know how to do that effectively. Giving money to charity is good, but seems too easy. I wish my schedule allowed me the time to work at the crisis pregnancy center here in San Jose, but it doesn't. I have to trust that our support of charities who are making a difference in the lives of people struggling at the lowest levels will be blessed by God.

This is not a plug for American Idol's charity program or any other one, but thoughts on a struggle to reconcile the poverty in our world and how to help get rid of it. I'm somewhat of a political junkie and follow the already crazy 2008 presidential race that has raised hundreds of millions of dollars. If the money that goes into electing a president could go to taking care of those who can't care for themselves, imagine how different our world would be.