Day 2: It's Simple

"Simplicity is the secret of seeing things clearly...Immediately we obey, we discern...When the natural power of vision is devoted to the Holy Spirit, it becomes the power of perceiving God's will and the whole life is kept in simplicity." ~Oswald Chambers

These are some of the key phrases that stood out to me as I read my devotional for the day. I think is some way that they connect with what God has placed on my heart at this moment. In the MAT I am taking a class called Special and Diverse Populations. As an assignment we had to read the book Savage Inequalities by Jonathan Kozol. This book compares the richy-rich schools to those in absolutely devastating poverty. It also talks about the severe depravity some children in America are facing every day in places like East St. Louis, Illinois, where the average crime index is 7xs the US average, and where over 50% of the population is under poverty levels. As we discuss this I am so upset by this information that I'm screaming on the inside, "Why isn't anyone doing anything?!? Where is the justic one behalf of these kids???" Our teacher provides a possible answer..."The American will, no the individual will, is the deciding factor." Our will as a nation is so weak and blinded sometimes! As I was sitting in class I was reminded of Revelation 3:15-17 that says, "¹⁵I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked." Verse 17 is a whole other story, but in the end the choice is simple...we have to choose to do something, to not be lukewarm. Our teacher encouraged us to stand up against inequality. Will you stand with me?

More info about East St. Louis can be found at: East St. Louis Action Research Project website http://www.eslarp.uiuc.edu/view/why-east-st-louis.aspx