Rainy Day Thoughts

About Leadership...

How do you encourage a group of people to embrace a vision in a particular area of ministry? How do you motivate people to get on the same page, so to speak? How does prayer factor in and when does God wait for us to get together and get organized? As a spiritual leader, how much input should one elicit from the people who follow? When should one go ahead and make the executive decision on behalf of others? In the meanwhile, how does a leader encourage others to truly care? Or is that just the Holy Spirit's job?

About the Poor...

How do we as North American's oppress the poor? What unjust economic structures are we endorsing just by being consumers? Is it right to purchase cheap department store clothing in spite of the fact it was probably made in a factory with poor safety standards? Is it moral to use credit cards, even if you never carry a balance and just reap the rewards? (After all, credit cards are designed to enslave people in the "buy now, pay later" mentality so they never get out of debt.) When does our society's obsession with entertainment, recreation and the latest rage fall into the realm of sin, because it takes funds away from supporting the less priviledged?

About Quotes...
Danny Archer: [reads off Maddy's computer] "In the ninety degree heat, Solomon Vandy drops to his knees, rattling the wire with his powerful hands." [laughs lightly]

Maddy Bowen: What? [Turns around aggressively, smiling an angry smile that turns into a grimace]

Maddy Bowen: Do you think I'm exploiting his grief?

Danny Archer: [Scoffs knowingly again]

Maddy Bowen: You're right. It's sh*t. It's like one of those infomercials with African kids with swollen bellies and flies in their eyes. See here I've got dead mothers, I've got severed limbs, but it's nothing new. Sure, it might make some people cry if they read it, maybe even write a check. But it's not going to be enough to make it stop! I'm sick of writing about victims but it's all I can #$@*! do! Because I need names, I need dates, I need pictures, I need bank accounts. Which is to say that I need someone to go on record... (Blood Diamond, 2006)

Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will be your helper, just as you have claimed. Hate evil and love what is good; turn your courts into true halls of justice. (Amos 5:14-15a)

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