If we are the body...

Today, on Facebook, I 'met' the most incredible couple. Ruan and Tara Swanepoel.

Ruan is from South Africa (moved with his family to the States about 15 years ago) and Tara is from the States. They are currently working in Bolivia. In a small village at an Adventist school. Check out her blog http://rtswan.blogspot.com/.

After browsing through her blog, I was both inspired and ashamed.

Tara is so full of life and hope and faith. And so happy and content with where God has placed her. Doing His work to the best of her ability, and loving it. Not wishing to be any other place.

How many of us can say that...? Honestly...not me!

I said that I was inspired... Inspired to be a better Christian, to do more work for God.

Ashamed...ashamed because here I sit in the lap of luxury, and yet I still complain. Maybe that is the problem, I have to much... And yet I still find myself comparing what I have or don't have with others.

I was watching a DVD by Casting Crowns tonight, and the song 'American Dream' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEiQPWkWhRc really pulled at my hear strings.
I know it might me a bit to much beat for some, but listen closely to the words.
There is one line 'I'll take a shack on the rock over a castle in the sand" This is what I want for my life. I want to stop living and working for the next thing to buy, and start living contently with what I have and with the people I have surrounding me.
Tara and Ruan live in the jungle, in a small little house, with the bare necessities, and they are happy and content. Their rewards lie in heaven.
Now I am not saying that we should all go rushing off to the jungle, what I am saying is that we should be happy with ourselves and what/where we are, before we can start showing others God.

Here are two other songs by Casting Crowns that I find incredible:

What if His people prayed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNdxdCK-wiA

If we are the Body http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYbGMQ5Y3Uo

As I was watching the DVD, I was thinking to myself, these people are not Adventist, but they are on fire for God. Truly more than I have ever seen any Adventist. I think more Adventist need to take this song to heart "If we are the Body" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYbGMQ5Y3Uo Me included...
I think sometimes, we as Adventist, worry to much that we 'act' in the correct way or 'look' the correct way. Instead of just being a Christian.

Is it not time we start looking past the exterior, and start seeing the heart...?