Creation Chronicles: Stories of Compassion, Part IV
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2
Tim to the World
Creation Festival always has the finest Christian speakers and this year was no exception. Bob Lenz was one of these speakers and although he is kind of complicated (for me) to explain, suffice it to say he is passionate about Jesus Christ, youth, and Compassion International.
On the way to the arena to hear him share, I walked past his merchandise booth and saw ‘The Shirt’. Blazoned across the front, in kind of a ‘Flash Gordon’ motif was the phrase, ‘Tim to the World’. I just shook my head and muttered to myself, “That’s Bob for you!” absolutely clueless as to what the idiom could possibly mean.
Long story short, Bob has a daughter named Joyel and one day around Christmas-time, she was singing, ‘Joy to the World’ with her little brother Tim within earshot. Little Timmy ‘assumed’ his sister Joy was singing of herself, so not wanting to be left out, he joined in with his own chorus, ‘Tim to the World’. When dad (Bob) heard it, he laughed, and then a light went off over his fuzzy head.
“Wouldn’t it be great if everyone (who calls him or herself a Christian), could sing the refrain with their name in place of Tim’s, ‘(your name here) to the World, ’ ” the notion being we can make a public profession of faith ~and~ announce to God and the world that we are available for duty.
Of course it almost goes without saying the ‘Tim to the World’ T-shirt is a great conversation starter (I wore mine today for the first time!).
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:3-4
Compassion to the World
Bob Lenz is also a potent advocate for kids living in poverty around the world and speaks up whenever he is able for these voiceless children. After such an appeal at this year’s Creation Festival, the number of folks signing up to sponsor children went from a low of about 200 sponsorships to over 1000. I believe the Lord is using Bob in a mighty way in order that children both here in the US and to the ends of the earth have an equal opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel message.
Would You Join Us?
You can proclaim, “(enter your name here) to the World, ” in the sponsoring of a Compassion child and in so doing, save a life, give a child hope, and share the Good News of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Sponsor a child today and I will send you a free copy of “Hope Lives: a Journey of Restoration” by Amber Van Schooneveld.
PS. Please visit the official Compassion Blog
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