One of the headlines on CNN.com today is about the president of the Congo reacting with dismay and disgust when he saw a CNN film on the rapings, mutilations, and killings being enacted on women and girls in his country by his own military. He described the actions as "unforgivable" and the opposite of what a military force should be doing. He went on to talk about how the Congo is a huge land, though, with poor infrastructure and few roads. He said that these things are hard to control but they will try.

This just makes me think of how truly blessed we are here in the United States. It gives me feelings similar to the sole survivor of a mining accident -- "Why us?" I don't know the answer to that but I do know the Truth of Luke 12:48 -- in The Message, it is "Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities!"

I have to lump myself right in there with everyone else in this country, though, and say that I think we're so blessed that we don't even know what sacrifice is. If I say I want to sacrifice for my needy brother, that sounds well and noble. But, I am so blessed, is it really sacrifice when I give only a small portion? Can I really feel the pain of sacrifice and then go on tooling around in my late model car and going to my comfortable house in a nice neighborhood? Is that sacrifice? Certainly, as proved out in his life, it wasn't sacrifice to Jesus.

This type of thing troubles me greatly. I understand giving out of our blessings. I understand being blessed by blessing others. I get the picture on all of that. What I really wonder, deep down, though, is am I really carrying this out unless I am giving my all and my everything? Giving of my time, energy and talents -- that is pretty easy (especially when you're as talentless as I am); tithing and then some is easily doable with some planning. But, still, look at all the "stuff" I have -- that we all have in comparison to 90% of the people on this earth! Am I -- are we -- doing enough? I don't believe so. Will I change? If so, when?