youth of a nation

I picked up the latest Newsweek today when, emblazoned on the cover, was a pregnant women dressed in red next to the title "AIDS at 25".

In 1981, a quarter century ago, five gay men in Los Angeles died from a rare form of pneumonia. Today, over 25 million people have died of AIDS, another 40 million are infected, and the epidemic is still spreading.

As many of you know, I could write a novel about AIDS, its effect on the world, and its effect on my family. Tonight, however, I just want to take a moment to think about the appropriate response to such distressing statistics.

My small group has been considering how God calls us to "do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility, consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others" (Philippians 2:3-4) and what that means for us. And while I encourage them to be nice to that kid that everyone picks on, to serve their parents and their friends selflessly, and to just be aware of their surroundings, I've personally been feeling a call to something much bigger than that.

In the parable of the Sheep and the Goats in Matthew 25, the King tells the people that when he was sick, they looked after him. When they questioned him, saying that they never saw him sick, the King replies, "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me".

I have never felt called to oversees missions or street evangelism. What I have felt called to do is respond with compassion to a rising epidemic that threatens more and more lives everyday. Why aren't more people outraged? Why aren't more people fighting? I often get distressed when friends ask for my financial support for summer missions trips. I understand short-term missions, please don't misunderstand me. I realize that this world is thirsting for the Gospel. But people are dying. By the millions. And we aren't doing anything. We aren't even concerned enough to educate ourselves. Check this out:

Only 17% of Americans rank the AIDS epidemic as a top concern. Even more shocking? 37% of Americans think (wrongly) you can get the HIV virus from kissing and 16% believe it can be contracted from a toilet seat. There is something wrong with these numbers. There is something wrong with America when it refuses to listen to a generation of dying youth. There is something wrong with Christianity when it stops caring about the least of these.

Me? I'm hoping to do this when I finish my Masters. What are you doing?

Start by edcuating yourself.