The new book I'm reading

This weekend I started reading "The Hole in Our Gospel" by Richard Stearns, president of World Vision.  I'm only a few chapters in, but it is a phenomenal book so far.  He scatters Bible verses and quotations throughout the book, and I thought I'd share a couple that stuck out to me:

To know what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice - Confucius

This made me think about how often I know what I should do, but I choose not to do it.  Whether it is passing up the chance to help a co-worker, not stopping to check on a stranded motorist, or not taking the opportunity to buy a meal for a homeless person, I pass up these opportunities daily.  Usually I think I'm too busy, too comfortable, or just plain lazy.  Then I think about all the times I hear or read about some injustice occurring in our world.  Rather than do something, I usually turn the page (or channel).  While I can't change everything wrong in our world, that isn't an excuse to do nothing.

The true gospel is a call to self-denial.  It is not a call to self-fulfillment. - John Macarthur

Being middle class in America sure does make it easy to feel like I deserve lots of things.  If I'm truly following Christ's example though, I need to be focused on others needs more than my own wants.