Poverty of the Heart

The poor and needy seek water, but there is none, Their tongues fail for thirst. I, the LORD, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

- Isaiah 41:17

Today is Blog Action Day and while I had envisioned a whole different post for this event God had other plans. It's not too surprising, really, if you stop to think about it. I mean, after all, we are here to talk about the poor, and it is the poor - in health, in life, and in spirit - that are God's main concern.

So instead of some topic on design I want to share with you something I believe is more relevant. Take from it what you will.

Initially I was going to write a post on how I designed my entry for PSDTUTS Solving Poverty Button Design Contest, but since this plan has changed I will not be entering the contest. Below is the mock-up of the design I was going to enter, using images from iStock...

A couple weeks ago I learned that my hours had been cut at work. I did not know why until the other day when I met with my boss. I had several write ups and it was because of this that he'd cut me down to three days a week. I took my lumps, signed them, and went on my way. Nice birthday present, eh?

Thankfully he returned me to four days a week. It's not the same as five, but it's better than three and definitely better than being fired. The irony is that I learned about Blog Action Day right around the time this all happened.

You see, eight years ago I lost my job and my home right after my roommate moved out and got married. I can still remember the fear that went through me as I sat on the floor of that empty apartment on the last night, crying out to God for help. I had asked my parents earlier if I could stay with them until I got back on my feet, but my dad did not want me moving in with them. I had to be out of the apartment the next day so I prayed most of that night, asking God to please keep me from being homeless. The next morning my mom called and said I could come live with them. "It's odd," she told me. "I was talking to your dad last night and all of a sudden he said, 'Doug should come stay with us.' Just like that. It was weird."

Indeed. Out of His infinite love and mercy, God had saved me from the streets, but that night in the apartment He had given me an even greater gift. Knowing that as a human being I can often be blind to my own flaws, I had prayed a part of Scripture back to God...

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

- Psalm 139:23-24

That night God allowed me to see that I was the person responsible for my situation. I had spent too many years being lazy and irresponsible, living off other people, wrapped up in my own little selfish concerns, and it took loosing my home to make me aware of these things.

Now, here I was again, right back in a similar dilemma.

I sat worrying once again over my own trivial interests. How I was going to pay my rent, bills, and buy food? Heck, I couldn't even afford to buy a few images so I could design my contest entry! And then, like a two-by-four between the eyes, God hit me with the following Scripture.

Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard.

- Proverbs 21:13

I had been happily living under the blessings God had provided for me these past six years, but in all this time I had never once taken from those blessings and given to anyone in need. What a selfish, vile little creature I was. I felt both ashamed and humbled. I realized that, for me, the problem wasn't about the poor. It wasn't about money, clothes, food, or even a job or place to live. It was about the poverty in my own heart. For if anything God wants us to have the heart of His Son, Jesus Christ, who cares always for those in need. But if, like me, a person is only concerned with their own desires, then the penalty can be severe.

Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God. But as for those whose hearts follow the desire for their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their deeds on their own heads, says the Lord GOD.

- Ezekiel 11:19-25

It's so easy to overlook the hardship of others when we are entwined with our own. It's as easy as telling a lie. But the worst lies are the ones we tell ourselves. I am grateful to the Lord for Blog Action Day, and for my hours getting cut at work, because these things awakened me to another nasty part of myself. Now I realize that regardless of what happens to me I must always make an effort to give. There is no excuse. Believe me, I know. I told many of them to God and none of them wash.

Since I hooked up with Blog Action Day I have discovered many people helping in many different ways.

• Team your blog with Blog Action Day and help raise awareness about the plight of poverty in our world.
• Kiva is an organization that uses microloans to help assist entrepreneurs in developing areas lift themselves out of poverty.
• Donate your day's earnings to The Global Fund and help them combat AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria which have a crippling effect on the fight against poverty.
• At Change.org users can create virtual organizations around social issues - called Changes - to share ideas and organize collective action.
• Promote Blog Action Day with a website banner or through word-of-mouth marketing.
• Catherine of Pink Asparagus created an article where each of your comments will earn a dollar (up to $100), which she will give to a worthy local cause.
• You can learn more about poverty by visiting World Visions resource blog created especially for Blog Action Day.
• It's Blog Action Day, Do You Give A Digg? Show the Web World that poverty means more than 'The 10 Best Photoshop Plugins' or '100 Fancy Web Graphics'.
• If you would like to use my B.A.D. graphic for your own Blog Action Day post you can download the image in a Zip file here.

You can help out in your own neck of the woods, too. Search out opportunities at shelters, food banks, halfway houses, and churches. If you're not sure what there is in your town then just call your City Council and ask them if they know of any local organizations that help the needy. And if you feel giving even a small amount like five dollars is not enough remember this - our government spent $900 billion last year funding their stupid war overseas, but they can't spend a fraction of that to help fund our public services or feed the homeless. So yes - every little bit helps.

Instead of using the $35 to buy the images for my design I'm donating it to Blog Action Day's Change.org site to help spread the message about the plight of poverty in our world. And since money for me is tight right now I decided to offer the one thing I have plenty of: my talent.

So here's the deal ... if you have a web site that is devoted to helping people in need and you would like a logo, redesign, or any graphical improvement I will lend my talent to the first three people to do so. Use the contact form on my web site site here and include your name, e-mail, and a brief outline of what you would like to have done. This offer is open only to people who have an established web site devoted to honest causes that assist the poor. I will visit your site and asses whether or not it fits this criteria, then I will e-mail you back. This offer is open beyond just today so if you are an organization that helps the poor and would like a 'facelift' for your site please don't hesitate to contact me.

In closing I leave you with these words from God...

If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs.

Beware lest there be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,’ and your eye be evil against your poor brother and you give him nothing, and he cry out to the LORD against you, and it become sin among you.

You shall surely give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand. For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.’

- Deuteronomy 15:7-23

Thanks for reading and I look forward to your comments.