As I watched my youngest play with the globe during lessons the other morning it occurred to me that even she could touch the world.  

As my family struggles now with the comfortable complacency of the Christian community there is something within cries out, “STOP!  I want to step off.”  Yet just as my children leave handprints over everything they touch, we leave our handprint on what or who we touch.  What kind of hand print are you leaving?  Are you leaving God’s handprint or an angry red slap mark? 

The media is saturated with the message that it is all about YOU.  You want it.  You need it.  You DESERVE it.  Us believers think we are wise against this.  We KNOW it is not about us, but do we really know what it is about?  Who is wise and understanding among you?  Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (James 3:13 NIV)

When you pull out of your driveway rushing off to church while your neighbor sits on her porch smoking a cigarette, sad that her husband left her, have you remembered what it is about?

When you step over the homeless guy on your way to mail a check to your sponsored child have you remembered what it is about?

When you look crossly at the woman whose small children are running wild, have you remembered what it is about?

When something pulls at your heart but you turn your head away, have you remembered what it is about?

Do you even know what it is?

It is that by our love for one another all men will recognize us as His disciples. (John 13:35)

It is that we ought to be doing what we can to fill the needs of another.  (1 John 3:17)

It seems the onus of reaching “the lost” has been placed on the church.  It seems that people have reached a sense of security in showing up on Sunday morning, participating in their ministries and sending off their financial offerings.  I came.  I served.  I tithed.  Great…what have you done the rest of the week?  After you have rushed off to church do you take notice of the people around you or do you still keep going?

Even you can touch the world.  Start by touching your sister, your brother and your neighbor and leaving behind the handprint of God.

I am not Catholic, but I am Christian and I am certain that true Catholics do not promote abortion.  Sadly, the producers of NBC’s long-running show ER have no shame in exploiting a Catholic doctor who performs an abortion, even having said character call it “giving God a chance to reconsider.” 

The previous episode of ER ends where nurse turned doctor Abby confides in ex-boyfriend, recent one-night stand Luka Kovach that she is pregnant.   Kovach, who just ended his previous live-in relationship with a nurse because he wanted children and she didn’t, would like to “keep the baby”.  Throughout the show, pregnant Abby continued to come up with several very selfish reasons to abort her baby. 

 In to the ER comes a pregnant teenager with conservative Christian parents.  (Said teenager is deemed “raped” by doctor Neela because she was drunk and passed out, though there is no discussion on personal accountability or whether or not she consented to sex.)  Neela then confronts Kovach over not referring said teenager to an abortionist, asking specifically to present to a doctor who is not Catholic.  Disappointingly, Kovach caves and administers laminaria as an abortifacient to cause an incompetent cervix, after quoting scripture and insinuating that God had not breathed life into the teenager’s baby.  He further instructs the teen to lie to her mother, saying that the teen’s parent would think she was having a miscarriage.  Character Kovach also confesses his faith to this teen.    The show concludes with Abby deciding to “keep the baby” afterall.  

At first I was outraged considering the ripple effect of this episode.  How many people in the position to influence young women would be discouraged from standing strong in their faith?  How many young woman would think they were giving God a second chance when they were really killing their babies?  And the conclusion?  Kovach gets to keep his baby after killing someone else’s in the name of medicine?  Ah, yes.  This is where God spoke to me.  He is faithful even when His people are not.  As I struggle with my own sin issues, I often overlook this fact.  How awesome our God that He can use what NBC meant for evil to speak of His character to one of His children?  Given the current cultural climate, I am so thankful that God is faithful even when we are not.