“To whom much is given, much is expected” has been on my mind since the day that we left for Haiti. This thought came out of nowhere as we were flying to Haiti last Saturday. Now that we are back, I have  heard it echoing in my mind every day. I looked up the reference in the bible and read a few commentaries on this verse. The verse is part of Luke 12 where Jesus is talking about waiting on his return. The verse is really about being a servant and His ambassador while we wait for Him to return.  The NIV version of Luke 12:48 says:

“…From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

As an American, I have a lot. When I compare myself to people like Bill Gates or any actor/actress in Hollywood or someone driving down I85 in a hummer, I may not think that I do but I am rich beyond the world’s standards.  My basics of food, shelter, and water are provided for plus some. While I was in Haiti, I saw people that were just struggling for the basics. I was shocked by the number of people living in tent cities – they were everywhere. Tent cities were in parks, around rubble, in front of damaged houses, on hillsides, in the streets. There were neighborhoods full of just tents! Many Haitians have one meal a day or maybe just breakfast and dinner – most of them don’t eat lunch or I should say can’t eat lunch because they don’t have the means to eat. Can you imagine? That has been on my mind all week as I go to a nice lunch for work or make my peanut butter sandwich for lunch. I probably eat in one day that some Haitians eat in a week. As I have gone through my week, I have seen Haiti everywhere. Haiti has been on my mind all week long and I don’t want it to ever be far from my heart.

So my heart is calling out “to who much is given, what is expected.” I don’t know what to do with that but I know I need to do something. I have been given a lot and I need to be a divine steward with my gifts and strengths. So every day this week, I have asked “What am I going to do with all that I have seen, learned, and heard?” I don’t know the answer yet but I am praying about it. I know that I have heard the call to action and I am going to answer it.

 Brooke