"Real Reality"

I was reading the headlines this evening and I was intrigued by an article on the amount of Americans killed in the war with Iraq and the protest against it. According to the press 2,526 US soldiers have died since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, according to a tally based on Pentagon figures, the impact of the deaths has rarely dominated headlines. We have grown used to the war headlines and it seems not to effect us the way it did in the beginning. But the amazing thing to me is when we actually give ear to a news break or a statistic, we seem alarmed and surprised.

Think about it. 2,526 soldiers have been killed. They’re dead, gone, by by, no more. When you sit and think about for a moment, it’s a little frightening.

You see, I believe that we as human beings get so used to the daily culture that we live in. We get so comfortable with our daily lives that we don’t seem to be phased by real reality. We live in our cultured bubble and we feel fine, no one will hurt us.

Then that’s when tragedy strikes.

Maybe it’s a death of a loved one, a loss of a spouse, it could be a life long injury or even a huge hit financially, maybe it’s a hurricane or a plane crashing into a building, a bomb on a bus, a child committing suicide or an accident that leaves pain and grief. Whatever it might be, I believe it’s when these events take place that we begin to think in terms of real reality. We begin to soak up what our life is really all about and we begin to ask ourselves the lifelong question, saying, did I live the right life.

It seems also that most people in American culture have been so blessed that we can’t take it any longer. We get so feed up with this life and we want to call it quits.

Its true 2,526 soldiers have died since 2003 but statistics show that 79,137 Americans have killed themselves since 2003. Now, when I hear of people like Cindy Sheehan, being joined by actors such as Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon, going on a hunger strike to bring the troops home I begin to question. I don’t question their purpose or passion but I question their motive. When we have over 30,000 people killing themselves every year here in America what are we doing making headlines by not eating our McDonalds for the day or a week. When there are millions dying each year from disease in the world why do we care to make a political stand? Why not continually raise money to fight cancer and disease here and across the globe rather than crying about who’s right and who’s wrong. Think about it, 2,526 compared to 79,137. I’m not trying to downplay the war in Iraq, I just can’t help but to think in terms of real reality. I am sick and tired of hard core none realist who think so selfishly about their own agendas when there are millions dying without hope annually.

I only pray that Christ would come oh so quickly, that He would bring an end to our pain and our sorrow, so we could be where He is.

Friends may we begin to think in real reality, may we take a moment out of the day and begin to ponder what it is we are really doing. And may we walk upright, making good use of our time, as the day of Christ draws near.

People are in desperate need. What are we going to do?