Ever heard that before? I know I have. Many times. Growing up, I would see things wrong on tv, and I'd just think to myself, 'it must be a matter of time until they sort that out.' In fact, I can remember this one time I was watching a special on crime in South Africa, and they were doing a dramatization of a woman being attacked in her house. I remember thinking to myself (as a kid, please remember), 'What is this guy doing? This camera man? Why doesn't he stop filming, and go help that lady out??' Years later (Many years, I promise), and I now find myself aware of the fact that there are many people behind the camera's that are made aware of many situations that they could have an influence on, and very little is getting done.
Why won't they sort out all the crime in South Africa? Why won't they sort out all the drugs in South America? The oppression in Asia? The hungry, the homeless, the widows, the orphans, the addicts, the angry and all the victims of lives affected by others making bad decisions. Why won't they sort them out??
One of the things I've realized is that it is scary to do something brave. It's very scary. When you don't know the outcome of a choice you've made, you don't really want to make that choice, do you? Because what if you don't like the outcome? It's not fun putting your own life-building pursuits behind you to do something that benefits someone else more than you. In theory, that just doesn't make sense. Besides, surely they ARE going to sort out these situations soon, aren't they?
You know what, though? There is no they. There is no one else that you have any influence over to sort out the situations that your heart cries out for. There's only you. You control yourself. If you're not happy about something in your life, change it. If you're not happy about something in the world, change it. Nothing will get done by simply complaining about it or liking a facebook group. The only question is, what cost are you willing pay to see that issue in your life or the world corrected?
Today is my first day without a job. I have just resigned and am preparing myself to move to Sao Paulo, Brazil in an attempt to give a bunch of street kids a second chance at life, because I saw a documentary on tv that showed how horrible a life they have to live. Even with all these horrible possibilities and negatives that keep creeping into my mind, threatening to deter me from going forward with this pursuit of justice, I just have to remind myself that there is no they. I alone can control myself, and that's enough to make something of a difference in this world. It might seem to be unfair that I have to give up so much to do this all, but I believe it is so much more unfair to see the hopelessness that some people have to live in. I am the 'they' that I've always been waiting for. With Christ as my engine, my encourager and the drive in my veins, I will do all I can to be the difference that I have always just been waiting for.