In Slow Pursuit of the Things that Matter

There is a list in my head of 'shoulds.'  Anyone else have one?  As soon as I opened my eyes to the world of injustice around me, I was completely overwhelmed.  Where do you even begin helping broken systems, broken circumstances, broken people?

So I make lists.  That's what any good western middle-class woman does, right?  Lists upon lists.  Of shoulds, of expectations, of projects, of books to read and causes to conquer.

-I should do more for the poor

-I should be making more of a difference in our neighborhood

-I should be more patient and gracious with Silas

-I should be more generous helping people in need

-I should be helping the orphan, caring for the widow, loving my own family better

I am so tired of living in the shoulds and the coulds and the 'wouldn't it be nice ifs.'

James says "So you see, faith by itself isn't enough.  Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless." (2:17) For someone who speaks passionately and frequently about the plight of the poor, I do a whole lot of nothing about it.

How do you take inaction and turn it into faith in action?  How do you take the big dream of wanting to make a difference, care for people, be generous to the poor, live more simply, and be less absorbed in your small little life and actually do something differently?

The answer, I believe, is rather unsatisfying.

You take one step.  Just one.

Slow progress stinks, but it's reality.  What is the one thing, not the 200, that I can do, right now, to love others more generously.

I love progress.  I love speed.  I love efficiency.  But do you ever notice that nothing works like that in the world, like ever?

Garden growing, addiction kicking, child rearing, culture redeeming, weight losing, money saving, injury healing...step after slow and steady step.

So what's yours?  What is one tangible and actionable goal you can take to reach out to love those around you?  

p.s. I'm working on paring down my list to one thing, as we speak.