200 Pairs Of Shoes!!!!

Well, I'm down to only 2 more chapters to read in "Radical". Yes, I knew I would be blogging on this book for quite sometime. I'm telling you, "Radical" is a HUGE wake up call to American Christians, and if it doesn't wake you up, make you rethink ALL you have saved up and bought, then you must be dead. This guy has hit me HARD and stepped on my toes ALOT regarding the way we live in this country. It's actually pretty awesome to finally see someone put down on paper how I've been thinking for a few years, but of course everyone thinks you're crazy if you're thinking "outside the norm" like selling all your possessions. I may be repeating myself from my previous blog, so I apologize, but what don't we get about being a Christian?? Does our faith lack so much in God providing for us that we have to have high paying careers so we can buy bigger and better things?? In the end, does it really matter what car you drove or how many college degrees you have?? Absolutely not! What is most important is how many people did you share Christ with while on this earth. How much did you give to the poor while living here? Ironically, I was reading Chapter 6 in this book last night, and it is about selling all your possessions to the poor. My mom was watching "House Hunters" at the same time. Now granted, that show makes me cringe anyway because we are so SPOILED in this country that everything in a house has to be newly renovated and updated or there is just no way we could ever live in it. GASP!! How many times on that show do I hear, "Oh, these cabinets are so 1980's." Are you kidding me? Brother! If only people worried about their spiritual life as much as "outdated cabinets". So last night, I'm reading this chapter and it's talking about how we have so many things we don't need, and I hear this lady on "House Hunters" say, "Well, I have to have a HUGE closet for my 200 pairs of shoes. This closet will just never work." Are you serious?? 200 pairs of shoes?? Who on earth needs or could even wear that many shoes?? I sit here shaking my head pondering that woman's ridiculous obsession of shoes while people in Africa are longing for one cup of clean water. Where are our priorities?? Think of the good this woman could have done with the money she spent on 200 pairs of shoes. It's sad, just sad. This book is really making me think about alot of things. I'm finding I want to spend less on me and GIVE more to people who need it, and believe by doing so that God is going to take care of me. I'm tired of living in "cushy" America and taking it for granted. It's time we step up to the plate and quit buying "things" and start giving it to people who need money more than we do. I truly believe the more we give, the more God will bless us, and by blessing us, I don't mean with material things. Why do we worry about money so much?? I know there have been times in my life when I didn't know how I was going to pay the next bill, but undoubtedly EVERY time, God provided in some form. It was amazing how He always took care of me when I doubted. Why can't we just put more faith and trust in our God and stop worrying about things that none of us need?? Why aren't we comfortable with selling all our possessions? All I know is I never EVER want to own 200 pairs of shoes, and if I ever have that many, you can bet I would be giving them away to someone who needs them worse than ole' Jewels. 200 pairs of shoes when kids are dying from starvation in other countries. It just turns my stomach how wasteful we are. Again, I'm recommending you all to read this book, it will change your life, and it will make your faith stronger. God bless you all, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!!