Just saw Slumdog Millionaire

I loved it! Go see it!

Now a lot of people would tell me to just enjoy a movie, don't look much into it. Well those people need to just accept that that's really hard for me to do. Actually, it's impossible! I really am sorry!

So, I DID enjoy this movie, very much.

But while watching it I had an assignment, to be able to report back to Jon H. if it's "good" or not. Well, ok, yes, the simple answer to that is "GOOD!" And driving back from the theater I was thinking of how I could tell him it was really good. And then I thought:

"What makes this movie really good is that God can use it." Yay! It's a kind of moving movie that can make people respond and do something about injustice! Maybe even do crazy things like go to India and help orphaned children!

But then on arriving back home, I had a disturbing thought.

What if people don't respond?

What if from the millions of people who see this movie, everyone feels so good about themselves that they just keep going on with everything they've always done. It was just a movie. Bad things like that don't really happen, right? Even if it did, God's in control and poor kids in India can go on Who Wants to be a Millionaire so I don't have to do anything about all those disturbing images I saw, right?

I think of a part in Hotel Rwanda where one character talks about how all the people in America would hear about the crisis, then they'd say that's awful, then continue on with their lives. That was just as disturbing as seeing the rest of the movie.

Well, is Christy going to India to help orphaned children? No...but...

Here's the thing. I really do not want to toot my own horn or lift myself up. I wish I could say I always do what I'm told, but I don't. But, I just do honestly feel burdened, and I do want to call people to listen to what God could be calling them to do...

I am not going to India, but I am going to Turkey. I'm pretty sure Turkey is nothing like the slums of India, especially Ankara, where I'll be teaching English at a really awesome International University. In fact, I hear Ankara is the most modern city in Turkey (it is the capital...), and that I will probably feel like I'm in Western Europe often. And teaching English is not the same as feeding or caring for orphaned children...

But if I'm supposed to go to Turkey, I'm going. Is it my first choice? Is it what I think could be most enjoyable for me? Is it what I think can secure things I really want? No. In fact I have great fear because although I believe going to Turkey is going to be AMAZING and full of blessings, the answer to those questions is "no." Really, the most attractive thing about going to Turkey is "God's calling." Or Allah's, given the context. To go with Slumdog Millionaire, you could call it "destiny," I guess.

If God called me to go to India and help orphaned children, would I do it?

I don't know. I hope so.

If God called you, would you?

Have you ever thought about it? Has he? Could he? Would you listen?

To be fair, I actually have a lot of good friends who have made hard decisions and have or are leaving comfort to do what they know they should do. That's pretty cool. And although many have been, not all of those decisions have been decisions to go to some strange country to do some great quest for love and justice. Some of them have just gone away from familiarity or comfort, or taken a risk to their security by giving money or doing a job that may honor God more but doesn't give as big rewards in this life. And I know others who want to do these things, but health keeps them here. I support that. And you are not who I'm talking to here.

But in general, Americans really do love their comfort and security a little too much. They say the big stuff is for someone else, but I couldn't leave my family and friends (or bring them with me [do not forget that that's an option!]). They may say they have too good of a "ministry" here, or that they believe that if God wants them to be happy, he'd never tell them to do something too risky, too out-of-line of what they'd planned for their life.

Have they ever thought about if God would have something different? Because yes, God does want his people to be happy, but too many people are missing out!!

Who's to say you wouldn't find more fulfillment and happiness doing something you've never planned of doing, over your secure comfortable job? You could be missing out!

And what about those unhappy people you could be meeting/helping? The kids in SM were actors. But there's real kids like that everywhere! And real conflicts, real suffering! What if it was your family being caught in a war, or your son hungry, or your daughter sold to prostitution? Wouldn't you care? Wouldn't you want to do something, or have someone come help you? They are missing out!

All people are made in the image of God. And he loves every one of them.

If we love God, how should we respond to this?

Pray that people would respond!! And do something yourself!

sorry if it was harsh. I learned in psychology class that when you sacrifice for something, it's natural to want to demand others to do the same, or get upset when others don't do the same. but there's no humility in that, and I don't want to be that way. I'm sorry.