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No Appetite for God

…Whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.

Philippians 3:19

Every six months I have to have a blood pressure recheck. I don’t enjoy doctor visits, but I do enjoy seeing my health care professional and my sister in Christ. I was particularly looking forward to talking to her about her recent mission trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina.

As she began to share her experience with me, I was taken aback at her passion and broken heart for the people of Buenos Aires. Her mission began on the flight. The lady next to her, on her way back home, asked her why she was going to Buenos Aires. When she replied it was a mission trip the woman seemed confused and asked, “Why? We are not hungry.”

Little did she know that was to be the theme of her mission trip.

Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after Greater São Paulo. It has a population of 2.891 million. It is a beautiful and busy metropolis, much like our own New York City and it is full of satiated people. They are filled with every comfort, food, technology, jobs, money and opportunities.

As she talked to people her heart was broken over and over. The people were kind, hospitable and gracious listening to her, but they had no hunger. Time and time again, she spoke, passionately giving them the Good News. They congratulated her on her faith and even thanked her for sharing the joy she had but they had no need of it. With a smile they faded into the throngs of people that went on their way. Looking out over the square and the thousands that moved by she was broken because she could never speak to each of them.

Like the people of Buenos Aires, we are a satiated people stuffed with flat screen TV’s supersized value meals, grocery stores with pre-chopped onions, and microwavable dinners. We sprint from our jobs to ball games, through drive throughs, online bill pay, Redbox, Smartphone apps and I could go on and on.

Our bellies are satisfied by the technological advantages that leave us stuffed but empty. We are not hungry.

As I left her office and passed by all the houses in my neighborhood, I thought of how many of them are not hungry as they dine on what the world has to give them. Though Buenos Aires is a small fraction of the world’s population, they are a very accurate representation of the world’s attitude. If you don’t know you need saving, you don’t know you need a savior. As the days pass, we come closer to the glorious return of Christ Jesus.

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

It is a sobering statistic that of the 7.082 billion people on the Earth right now, 4.882 billion lonely lost souls are on their way to Hell. Two thirds of the world is dying and going to an eternity of misery and pain we can never fathom with our human minds and they don’t know it!

You don’t have to travel around the world to share the Good News just go outside your house. My mother always told me that your first mission field is your own backyard and she wasn’t kidding, of the 15 houses on my block, 5 are involved professing Christian homes.

This week I want to challenge you to pray for your neighbors. If you don’t know their names then write down the color of the house, God knows who you are talking about. Pray for them and the next time a neighbor waves or comes your way, invite them to church. For some people we are the only example of Christ they see. Two or three times a week my neighbor and I walk the street in front of the 15 houses and we pray about those souls. You may think that isn’t much compared to the 4.882 billion lost and dying, but if everyone that read this did the same and passed it on, what kind of difference our prayers could make. What souls could be brought to Jesus with the simple act of inviting someone to church or to come over and share the joy that lives in you.

I encourage you to take up my challenge and pray for those families in your neighborhood. Do more than wave or smile; share that wonderful gift of salvation.