January 13, 2005
Volume 3: Issue 1
|
with Brent Crowe
|
|
The day
after Christmas 2004 will never be forgotten. While most of America rang
in the New Year with confetti, funny hats and loud music, the other side
of the world probably didn’t realize that the year had even changed.
Families were digging through six feet of rubble with the dying hope of
finding a loved one alive. Now, for so many, all that is desired is to
locate a body in order to have a bit of closure amidst the vast
wasteland of devastation they now find themselves living. The number of
deaths seems to rise with the passing of each hour so much so that USA
Today can’t provide the newest figures. As this article is being
written, the number of deaths stands at 145,000 and by the time this
newsletter is read this estimate is projected to climb well over 150,000
confirmed deaths. In a matter of moments, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake
wobbled the earth’s axis, changed time (there are three seconds
unaccounted for), moved islands as much as 20 and 36 meters, cut
other islands in half, and swallowed up entire villages and
cities without leaving even one survivor. A US Geological Survey expert
stated two days after the disaster, “This earthquake has changed the
map.”
Student
Leadership University has taught over 17,000 students that leaders
engage the culture. In times of great disaster when more hurt and pain
seem to exist than anything else, the true leaders must stand up. It
would be a great sin and tragedy for the leader to stand idly by while
others cry in the dirt. In Luke 10:25-37 we are provided with the most
famous story Jesus would ever tell, the story of the Good Samaritan.
Every positional leader throughout this great parable is portrayed as a
failure. The Samaritan is the only one in this story that is shown in
any kind of positive light. The reason this unlikely hero succeeded
where a lawyer, priest, and Levite failed is because his concern was for
people and not his own agenda. He did not merely lift a prayer or offer
to send for help for this broken man who was lying on the side of the
road naked, bleeding and dying. The Bible says, “That when he came to
where he was and when he saw him, he had compassion.” The success of the
Samaritan is found in the fact that he did not simply hurt for the
man on the side of the road, but that he hurt with the man,
he got down in the dirt with him. Where others saw obstacles on the road
of life, he saw an opportunity to demonstrate compassion.
We
are now confronted with one of the most horrific disasters in the
history of mankind and the question must be asked, how should I respond?
It is in these moments when so many are hurting and dying and so much
pain seems to exist that the gospel should burn within us, hotter than
it ever was before. Our response to this tragedy should be two-fold;
first it should cause us to run to the Savior. We should fall to our
knees, repent of our sins, and commit ourselves anew to be passionate
followers of Christ with the understanding that God is sovereign and is
in control of nature, remembering the fact that on December 26, 2004,
we were not swallowed up by this monster of a wave. Newspapers
declare that the tsunami had no prejudice as the wealthiest of this
world and the poorest died side-by-side. In Matthew 10:29 Jesus said,
“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls
to the ground apart from the Father’s will.” In response to God’s mercy
on us, we should run to the Savior.
Our
second response should be to run to the hurting. The leader consumed
with knowing the Savior will inevitably have compassion on the hurting.
The term compassion that Jesus used in the parable of the Good Samaritan
describes one who has a pain so deep within their being that it drives
them to action. With pictures of people being sent to us literally at
the “speed of live” who are hurting, we must ask ourselves what can
we do? The response is very simple. Do what you can. For some
that may mean going. For others that may mean simply praying. To some it
may mean giving money to an organization or to a mission agency. Romans
12:15 says that we are to “Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with
those who weep.” Make no mistake about it; leaders are not
inconvenienced by the timing of tragedy. At the New Year, with so
much to do and so many resolutions to keep, the leader puts life on
pause and allows his or her schedule to be interrupted that he or she
may run to the hurting.
Tonight
most of us will lie down on a mattress in our own room that is part of
nice house with central air and heating and will wake in the morning to
brush our teeth without worrying that the water we drink carries some
kind of disease. We will go to a job; we will go to school. In our free
time we will go to play sports, hang with friends or spend time with our
families. In short, we have been blessed with all the luxuries of life
one could possibly ask for. But tonight, on the other side of the world,
people are starving, their village has been cut off from the outside
help and there is no roof, there is no room and there is no bed.
Thousands of children have been orphaned; little boys and girls are
wandering through the night without a mommy or daddy. Brothers, sisters,
and parents will dig through the rubble, past the point of exhaustion
hoping that on this day they will discover the fate of their loved one.
Should we feel guilty for the blessings that the Lord has bestowed
upon us? May it never be so for guilt is of the enemy, we should be
grateful. We should run to the savior and we should run to the hurting.
|
|
with
Luke Lin
|
Things that seem to be injustices happen all the time, but the truth is
that sometimes we are so blinded by our culture and society that we fail
to recognize them. The tsunami is a clear example of an evident tragedy
that has devastated many thousands of lives - and thankfully, many have
responded by generous giving and through donations. But what of the
injustices that happen every day that directly affect those in our own
backyard? What about the people who need our love, care, and support who
are right around the corner who have been victims of their own personal
tsunamis?
Lately, our attention has been focused on delivering aid and support to
those affected by the tsunami, and rightly so. I encourage you to give
if you haven't already. Check out our articles this month to find out
some direct ways you can get involved with lending a much-needed helping
hand. But if and when you give, be sure to do so out of pure motives -
not just because someone told you to give, or because it will impress
someone. Give cheerfully, and allow it to become a paradigm shifter so
that you begin to see people and causes to which you can genuinely give
cheerfully and regularly. There is nothing more powerful than a faith
seen in action, giving to those who need help instead of dismissing them
as merely unfortunate or finding reasons for not giving. Engage the
culture by sharing the blessings of grace with those who much need it.
Remember, none of us are owed anything, and all we have is because of
grace. Instead of hoarding the blessings we don't deserve anyway, may we
show the grace of God to others by giving to them in the same manner
that love and grace were first extended to us - not only around the
world, but around the corner as well.
|
featuring Katie Bell
|
When I was first
asked to write a testimony of my SLU experience, I spent
much time thinking about what I wanted to say. First I
thought of writing about leadership since we recently had
Presidential elections but with the New Year, I also thought
of writing about goals or with finals just behind me, even
time management. There are so many things that I've learned
over my four years of attending SLU. I looked in my Orlando
101 notebook and began reviewing my notes. They kept
leading me back to Isaiah 43:1.
Isaiah 43:1
talks about God summoning us by name. God called
specifically on Abraham, Samuel, Jeremiah, plus you and I.
One of the challenges Dr. Bob Reccord, President of the
North American Mission Board, gave us at SLU 301 was to
answer God's calling for our future. While I was in London I
discovered that God has a plan for each one of us and that
this call is very important. When you find out what His plan
is, or even the first part of it, go ahead and step out in
faith and begin doing. It may be hard at first, but if God
has summoned us by name He will most definitely be with us
the whole way. We are all individuals and God uses our own
gifts to reach out to others and fulfill His plan. At SLU
101 in Orlando Dr. Jay teaches the parable of the crabs.
This states that when you place one crab in the bucket, he
can easily escape, however, if you place two in the bucket,
they will each pull the other back down prohibiting them
from freedom. Neither would ever escape and they would both
die captives to the bucket. When you find God's
plan for your life, follow through with it and don't let the
crabs pull you down. You must rise above it all and live
your life of purpose for God.
In answering
God’s personal call for you, remember that everyone's
calling is different so don't be so focused on what others
are doing but look to God. As Wayne Gretzky, the hall of
fame hockey player once said, "I miss 100% of the shots that
I never take." If it's part of God's plan, take action when
the time is right and God will help you succeed. As the New
Year is beginning, take some time to reflect on God's plan
for the upcoming year and remember to always soar high for
God!
"But now, this
is what the Lord says; He who created you, O Jacob, he who
formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I
have summoned you by name; you are mine." Isaiah 43:1
Katie Bell is an SLU alum and a student at Georgetown
University.
|
|
Win an
autographed John Maxwell book! If you have completed at
least SLU 101, you are eligible to participate in our 201
Essay Contest. Please check out our
contest page for more details.
Are you
interested in becoming an SLU intern? Maybe you've been
a part of SLU for a few years or had an SLU intern while you
were a student that really made a difference in your life.
See how you can become involved with SLU by checking out our
internship page.
Check out Dr.
Jay's new book - The Three Success Secrets of Shamgar!
Read about this incredible book that is a must for your
personal reading and book collection by checking out some
more
info about the book! You can also find out how to place
an order for your own personal copy!
Registration is
fully underway for our 2005 Season! Be sure to secure your
spot by
registering online for what will be an incredible summer
of leadership, learning, and fun. All of our
dates for next summer are available online, designed to
give you maximum flexibility in planning your summer.
Don't forget that
most SLU information is available online through our website at
www.studentleadership.net. We want to
continue hearing from you! Let us know how you've been putting
leadership into practice. It is always a blessing to hear from
you. Our toll-free number is 1-888-260-2900.
|
To view past
editions of The Edge, check out our archive
here.
Questions or comments are always welcome. E-mail us at
edge@studentleadership.net |
|
 |
|
January 2005
|
|
On the
Edge
This month Brent
Crowe, Dean of Students for SLU, takes a closer look
at the tragedy of the tsunami and how Christians should
respond. |
Edge Ledge
Your section
for culture and Christianity takes a look at the
effects of tragedy, as well as what you can do in
response for those not only around the world but locally
as well. |
Life on the Edge
This month, read
about how the lessons of SLU and how they helped one of our
recent alums in discerning and answering her personal
calling in life. Have an SLU story? Send it to us at
edge@studentleadership.net
This month, we feature Katie Bell. |
Cutting Edge
What's up at SLU? Get the latest scoop on
what's happening here at Student Leadership University. |
Featured Articles
Check out the featured
articles of the month, including articles about
the tsunami and ways you can directly get involved in
lending a helping hand. By being
informed of these critical events, we can begin to shape
an effective response to culture. Stay informed by reading
this month's featured articles. |
|
 |
|
Follow the links for the
full article. |
How Tsunamis
Form
At approximately 9:30 a.m. Sunday, December 26, 2004,
large waves pounded the many beaches of East Asian
countries killing thousands in its reach. Many have
since paused to listen or read facts on this massive
natural disaster and wonder if something so devastating
could once again reap its fury on the earth.
This leads us to the question of
what is a tsunami and
how does it form...
Read full article |
U.S. Tsunami
Aid
Not
only is the United States generous with its taxpayers'
money, our individual taxpayers give freely of their
cash when disasters strike...
Read full article |
Tsunami and
Ethics
Throughout the United Kingdom, following the Christmas
tsunami that killed at least 150,000 people and changed
the lives of their surviving relatives forever, some are
asking how a "loving" God, if He exists, could allow
such a catastrophe to happen. Another question is, "Why
do bad things happen to good people?"...
Read full article |
Does God
Care?
Whether it comes wreaking havoc in our private world or
whether we see it in mammoth proportions on our TV
screen, we can’t help but question and wonder. Does God
care when the tidal waves of life sweep in unexpectedly
and tear at the very fiber of our being with
inexpressible grief...
Read full article |
Tsunami
Deaths
U.N.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan described the devastation
on Indonesia's tsunami-battered Sumatra island Friday as
the worst he's ever seen, while authorities there pulled
4,000 new bodies from the rubble, bringing the confirmed
overall death toll to nearly...
Read full article |
Red Cross
The
American Red Cross today announced a massive relief plan
for those affected by the tsunamis, requiring an
estimated $400 million to respond to both immediate and
long-term needs now and years into the future...
Read full article |
Earth
Wobbling on Axis
The
earthquake that unleashed deadly tidal waves on Asia was
so powerful that it made the Earth wobble on its axis
and permanently altered the regional map...
Read full article |
Warning System
The catastrophic death toll in Asia caused by a massive
tsunami might have been reduced had India and Sri Lanka
been part of an international warning system designed to
warn coastal communities about potentially deadly waves...
Read full article |
 |
|
"If we all
did the things we were capable of doing, we would
literally astound ourselves."
Thomas Edison
|
"How
wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before
starting to improve the world."
Anne Frank |
"We can't help
everyone, but everyone can help someone."
Dr. Loretta Scott |
"A
bone to the dog is not charity. Charity is the bone shared with
the dog, when you are just as hungry as the dog."
Jack London |
"Then
the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed
of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food;
I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you
took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you
visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ “Then the
righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You
hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we
see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or
when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And
the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you,
inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren,
you did it to Me."
Matthew 25:34-40 |
|
 |
|
We want to hear from you! Do you
have a thoughtful response to the articles here? Have you
written a paper on one of the issues we're discussing this month
or have discussed? Send it to us at
edge@studentleadership.net |
 |
|
Established in 1994, Student Leadership University's
purpose is to empower students to conquer the future!
Combining hands-on experimental learning with a dynamic
classroom setting, students are equipped to influence
their generation for Christ with confidence.
For more information, visit us at
www.studentleadership.net or call us toll-free at
888-260-2900.
Edge Executive Editor:
Chris Crowe
Edge Associate Editor:
Luke Lin
|
|
|
