Lending A Helping Hand

So, at the start of every new school year at UNC, we have this thing known as "Fall Fest." It's this super big event where they close down a couple streets on campus, and every possible club or organization you could imagine attempts to recruit new members. All of the students at UNC line up down these streets, and we're all packed like sardines, just moving in which ever way the traffic flows. 

Now, members of clubs and organizations do A LOT to try to get you involved with whatever it is that they are advertising. The members volunteers their time. They'll have conversations with you. They'll give you free food. They'll help you sign up. They'll give you free souvenirs that advertise their organization. The list goes on and on.

A couple of weeks ago, a couple friends and I decided to make our way down the streets of Fall Fest for the start of our junior year. Just as I expected: it was insane! Thousands of people were on the streets, and people were walking around with their signs and advocating like crazy! I started walking down this one street that had many poster boards and such set up on tables. Most of their advertisements were for Pre-Health clubs: aimed at all of those UNC students who typically wish to pursue going into some sort of health-related field. As I walked by, I could hear the random, casual conversations that advocates were having with potential-members.

 As I passed by this one table, I recognized one of the members as a guy that I had had a chemistry class with last semester: he was pre-med. I walked by, and I heard him talking to a girl about joining this volunteer-related club. Apparently, the organization allowed for pre-med students to go to different foreign countries to volunteer and give aid to individuals in need. It sounded like a great organization! But, he then followed up by saying something that bothered me greatly: "Yeah, you should join! It looks great on applications for medical school!"

How sad of a world is it that we live in today? It doesn't take an expert to tell you that we live in a very crooked, selfish generation. The sad thing about most of the decisions we make today, is that we make them for our own selfish benefits. We obtain prestigious degrees so that WE can live the comfortable lifestyle that we would like. We sometimes go to church and read our Bibles so that WE can feel like we did our "Christian-ly" duties. We diet and exercise so that WE can feel good about ourselves and look "good" in the eyes of society. And, what I think is the saddest of them all: sometimes we volunteer our time and resources to those in need, only to feel good about ourselves or for OUR own selfish benefits.

What if we changed our attitudes a little bit? What if we allowed Christ to truly renew our minds?

Romans 12:2 says: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing our your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

God selflessly sent His one and only Son to die for each and every one of us. Whenever I start to think about what this truly means, I cannot help but to get excited that there is somebody that loves me THAT MUCH! After we accept Christ into our lives, we should allow this good news to consume our lives and everything that we do!...starting with our attitudes, especially towards others!

So let's get the education or degree in which God calls us to obtain because we want to honor and please Him with the gifts that He's blessed us with. Let's be in His Word and meet in His house because we want to fuel ourselves with the Holy Spirit and learn more about Him. Let's take care of our bodies because we know they are of the Kingdom of God, and we wish to please Him. And, last but not least, let's lend a helping hand to those in need because God has called us to do so and because He has called us to be a light to this world!

Our society demands you to work for yourself: this has become the way that it's supposed to be. However, as Christians, we all have a destination that's beyond this world that we live in. 

So, just like the famous Christian song by the band Fee says, I challenges us all to allow God to: "Take my life and let it be all for You and for Your glory; take my life and let it be Yours."