Polluted by the World

I am back! Seems like it's been longer, but I just spent nine days down in wonderful Siguatepeque, Honduras. I had another great opportunity to connect with my friends at La Providencia, play with some children & lead a team of students. Our goal as a team this time was twofold. We needed to build a playground for the children who attended Academia La Providencia & help a local church in the area launch its first Vacation Bible School (VBS).

This is my good friend who always greets me with
a hug & request to ride on my shoulders.

Both provided challenges & obstacles for us as team but in the end we were able to see the hard work we put in pay off as we engaged with the children of Siguatepeque who enjoyed the fruit of our labor. As I engaged with the team & the children there I was struck by a passage I had read several times being lived out regularly by the people there. James 1:27 tells us, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure & faultless is this: to look after widows & orphans in their distress.." La Providencia uses this passage as the focal point of their service & love to the community in Siguatepeque. I have learned this, seen it & even experienced it in my own life. What I realized this past week was in the past I had done a great job of skipping over the last part of James 1:27;


"...and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."


This is hit me hard. In a time in my life right now where I am experiencing more change than I probably ever have or ever will I was convicted of how I was being polluted by the world. I realized all these families, employees, children, teachers & people of La Providencia & Siguatepeque were doing a far superior job of keeping themselves from being polluted by the world. Back here I am worrying about what size & color dessert plates I am going to have at my wedding while these people are more concerned for loving the individual next to them regardless of their skin color & regardless of how inconvenient it might be for them.


I was excited when I returned home & shared this with Andrea to find out she felt much the same way as I did. So with that we have been taking a new approach on all this life planning, putting through the lens of James 1:27. We want to make sure we aren't being polluted by the world & getting ourselves wrapped up financially, emotionally & time wise. We know our wedding day is important, but we know more importantly that our God wants us to seek him out in this time of 'joyful chaos'.


You can continue reading about my time in Honduras on La Providencia's blog where I guest posted!


Question: What disciplines do you have in place to keep yourselves from being "polluted by the world"?