Let’s start right here. Worship with me to Matthew West‘s Do Something:

Do Something by Matthew West

I woke up this morning
Saw a world full of trouble now
Thought, how’d we ever get so far down
How’s it ever gonna turn around
So I turned my eyes to Heaven
I thought, “God, why don’t You do something?”
Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought of
People living in poverty
Children sold into slavery
The thought disgusted me
So, I shook my fist at Heaven
Said, “God, why don’t You do something?”
He said, “I did, I created you”
If not us, then who
If not me and you
Right now, it’s time for us to do something
If not now, then when
Will we see an end
To all this pain
It’s not enough to do nothing
It’s time for us to do something
I’m so tired of talking
About how we are God’s hands and feet
But it’s easier to say than to be
Live like angels of apathy who tell ourselves
It’s alright, “somebody else will do something”
Well, I don’t know about you
But I’m sick and tired of life with no desire
I don’t want a flame, I want a fire
I wanna be the one who stands up and says,
I’m gonna do something”
We are the salt of the earth
We are a city on a hill
But we’re never gonna change the world
By standing still
No we won’t stand still
No we won’t stand still
No we won’t stand still
Lyrics     Writer: Matthew West (Into the Light album) 2014

Publishing: Songs of Southside Independent Music Publishing / External Combustion Music / Songs for Delaney (ASCAP)
 

1) Be informed. Every day we are slammed with bad news by the media. We are not immune to compassion fatigue and, in fact, can just let the news wash over us, suspicious of what’s true or not. As believers, we must not turn a deaf ear. We must weigh, every day, what is happening in the world, what grieves the heart of God, and what is ours to do about it. So what, if we don’t always get it right? I posted an amazing piece on Monday about the plight of Christian families in Northern Iraq. Then yesterday another piece came out about maybe it’s “not as bad” as we may have heard. Praise God if that is also true. However, we must take the news and op-eds and sift not just the information, but what we are to do as His people. I so appreciate what I gleaned from both pieces, and especially the step-by-step guidance given in the first.

2) Refuse to be silent. – If we are silent, we align ourselves with the persecutors. However, there is a way for Kingdom people to be the voice of the persecuted and oppressed. Language of hate and blame will not glorify God. Will not. Read Nik Ripken’s Insanity of Obedience.

3) Pray. Unbelief has to be the worst sin of all. We as Christ-followers must not fall to that temptation, especially in a world so racked with cynicism and lethargy and self-centeredness. So pray, believing, dear ones. Every day. Together and alone. Pray.

4) Give. There is so much in the Word of God about giving. Again, the world’s thinking creeps into our decision-making when we don’t give (either through our churches or to relief organizations) because we’re just not sure where the money goes. “If anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” – 1 John 3:17  We give to BGR. This relief and disaster response agency is constantly monitoring and acting on the disasters that we read about (earthquake in China last week, escalating emergency situations in Middle East, etc.). By giving to BGR, I can do something.

5) Go. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:19-20 When Jesus gave this Great Commission, He wasn’t just speaking to those within His immediate hearing. He was speaking to the Church through the ages. He means for us to go, in obedience – to our neighbor, our co-worker, our friend. He may also mean for us to go short-term (2 weeks or 2 years) to another part of the world. He may mean for us to take a job with our company or another organization and spend much of our life among the nations. He definitely means for us to go next door…and to those most marginalized in our cities, towns, counties. In obedience. For the lives of the people. For the glory of God.

“We ought always be ready to meet our Maker. Live this day as if it were your last. Resist sin. Extend grace. Share the Gospel. Look for Christ. – @pastorjgkell Garrett Kell – on my Twitter feed this morning.

Andrea Pauline Kazindra, Co-Founder of Musana

Baptist Global Response

Youtube video of Story Behind Song Do Something

Youtube video of Matthew West’s song Do Something

Matthew West’s & his dad Pastor Joe West’s popwe.org – reaching beyond entertainment – Craft. Share. Live.