The Big Apple

Our trip to NYC in August was very fun. It was great to see some of Scotty's oldest friends. We stayed at the historical Jane Hotel in west village. While we had a blast and made some memories, for me it was a definite culture shock. Everything from walking around Greenwich Village being submerged into a part of the city where "The Village People" are from (think YMCA), to walking the streets of the Upper East Side and the shopping on 5th ave. However, no matter what part of Manhattan we were in, there were numerous amounts of homeless people, which was heart breaking. It was so hard to try and enjoy my vacation when every 2 minutes we would pass someone begging for money.

Ironically, on the plane ride there I read "When Helping Hurts" and Scotty had just finished "Generous Justice". Both books about our social responsibility as Christians to the hurting, poor, and marginalized.
It was a challenge to find our responsibility to these people while we were there. Where does one draw the line from "loving thy neighbor as oneself" and trying to avoid positively reinforcing their dependency? It was a huge struggle for me, but Scotty kept repeating Tim Kellers words, "if one is to err, better to err on the side of generosity". These words have continued to run through my mind as I try to learn more about my individual role with social justice and responsibility as a follower of Christ.

Matthew 25: 45 "Truly I tell you, Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me."



Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause
As I walk from earth into eternity - Hosanna 



Love God and love His people. Amen.