Spilling Hope

Simplify. Learn. Give.

This has been the motto our church has adopted during its Spilling Hope campaign these last fifty days since Easter.  This campaign is like one I've never seen.  Though the ultimate goal is to provide life-giving water by building wells in Africa, it strives to change the way we live.  Here.  Now.

Simplify - The idea behind simplifying is basically realizing just how much we have and what we really don't need.  What if we allocated our funds elsewhere?  What if, instead of buying a latte at Starbucks, we made coffee at home and give the money we saved to help people in Africa?  What if we sold the clothes that we don't wear in our wardrobe and donated the proceeds?  How could our lives be changed for the better if we were to simplify our budgets, our homes, our calendars?

When given this challenge, I chose to follow the "No S Diet" for the fifty days.  Granted, this was hard to do.  Basically, I was giving up eating snacks, seconds, and sweets (desserts).  I don't need to eat all that extra stuff all the time, but it is hard when I have two young children that do like to have snacks (and need them!).  I was not perfect in my endeavor, but I did okay.

Learn - What do you know about social justice?  Do you know what is going on in other countries?  Did you know that a majority of the world's population live under the poverty line?  What can we do about it?  This campaign sought to have its members open their eyes to what is going on in the world so that we can be more prepared in our hearts and minds to do something about it.

For me, this looked like a lot of reading.  Some important books that I read (or am reading) are:

• Living More With Less by Doris Janzen Longacre
• More With Less Cookbook by Doris Janzen Longacre
• Generous Justice by Timothy Keller
• When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert
• Spilling Hope Blog

The More with Less books have been especially powerful as one thing they discuss is the global impact of what we eat.  I'm now trying much harder to eat local (going to farmer's markets) and eat more staples like rice and beans instead of a lot of meat and processed foods.  I'm excited about where this is leading me since I think it is going to be a good healthful change for our family.

It's also been interesting to read about just what causes poverty and looking at the complexities of what needs to change in order for life to get better for those living in it.  Our God cares for the poor, and He wants us to do the same.

Give - Finally, we are given the call to give.  With all that we've learned and all that we've done to simplify our lifestyle, we are asked to give generously to those who have far less than ourselves.

Phil and I will be giving to Spilling Hope this next week.  We've found our lives changed these last fifty days, and I'm sad that this year's campaign has come to an end.  However, I must remember that we have been called to live intentionally all the days of our lives and not just during a campaign.  It is an overwhelming and humbling thought, but one that God requires of us.  Thankfully, He will lead us through it.

Micah 6:8 (ESV)

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?