To view the “grade” that Charity Navigator gives it, click here.  There is plenty of information for this organization on the web.  I had concerns about the actual instruction children would receive, but I found that not only does Compassion focus on the physical well-being of the child, it focuses on the education of the child, as well as the Gospel.  So, this organization takes care of the “whole child” as it were, not just a part of his/her life.

Tim Challies (a reformed blogger) will be blogging about a trip with Compassion to the Dominican Republic in November.  He will band together with others to blog about the job that Compassion is doing throughout the world.  Please stay tuned to his blog for more information in the month to come.  If you’ve been to a Christian concert in the last few years, Compassion is the organization that these musicians discuss during their concerts.  They usually have a sign-up booth there in the concert hall.  If you’re like me, though, I didn’t sign up there in the concert hall, but rather prayed about it, researched the organization, and then committed to it after knowing it was what God wanted me to do.

As American Christians, surely we can give up 1 Christmas worth of presents that we, ourselves would receive to sponsor a child for an entire year, right?  We have been sponsoring a boy named Samuel from India since last December.  It has been a blessing to do so, even though I’m not very good at writing letters back to him. I wish I was less lazy.

Whether or not you sponsor a child through Compassion International, please consider how this year you might be able to tangibly help those less fortunate than yourself not only physically, but spiritually as well.

Mar 4:30-34  And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it?  (31)  It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth,  (32)  yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”  (33)  With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.  (34)  He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

1.  The kingdom of God is about the sovereignty of God.  (vs. 30-32) Notice the contrast:  the smallest of seeds grows into the largest of plants.  This highlights the impossibility of it all – by man’s standards, and by man’s estimation.  Likewise, as Jesus finished speaking to the rich young man in Mark 10, vs. 10:25-27 say the following:

Mar 10:25-27  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”  (26)  And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?”  (27)  Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

This proves the supernatural nature of the life in Christ.  We cannot come to God on our own terms – it is God Himself that has wrought true life in the believer’s heart that the believer would even be able to believe.  It is amazing….but the small seed that He plants WILL grow.  He is faithful to complete it (Philippians 1:6).

2.  The spiritual life should be refreshing to those around us. (vs. 32b)  We are called to be salt and light, and when we live our “normal Christian life”, others will be refreshed by it.  Yesterday (Sunday) morning, I was at church, and the pastor was speaking of the spiritual life of the church in terms of faith.  They were having to live by faith in different aspects of church life.  They did not want to lower the standard in membership at their church, but practice what is called ‘regenerate church membership’ (only those who have the fruit of regeneration and who desire to serve the church body in some capacity are considered for membership).  This is VERY biblical, and is not really practiced by churches by-and-large.  It takes faith for a church to practice that.  I was drawn to it.  Why?  In this case, I was a bird seeking shade in the faith of another.  The workings of Christ in a believer (or group of believers) are marked with lives of faith.  It is living in dependency of Christ Jesus to provide.  I, as a bird that was seeking shelter, was drawn to those who live lives of faith, and it DOES refresh me.

3.  Truth is meted out as we can take it. (Mark 10:33-34) We are all at different places in our walk.  If we’re growing in Christ (a big if), then what we believe about God is different than when we first came into the fold.  We *should* now have a bigger view of God, and a smaller view of man.  There is a truth at work here:  Meat is not given to babes.  Why?  Because they cannot digest it.  This is the essence of what Paul was saying in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3:

1 Cor 3:1-3  But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.  (2)  I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready,  (3)  for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?

The truth also cuts both ways: we must be careful to not “throw our pearls before swine” (Matthew 7:6); for folks may not understand the deeper doctrines of faith (election, perserverance, the atonement, gifts, eschatology, different aspects of soteriology).  We must stick with the Gospel call to all men:  “Repent and believe!” (Mark 1:15).  Leave the results of growth up to God Himself, for He is faithful to complete it.

1.  Record thoughts on mediations of the Word.

2.  Glorify God.

There. I think that’s it.  Let’s get started now!