This world we live in is defiled. And the ones that have defiled it are us. We have defiled our environment by polluting our beaches, lakes, cities and the air. We are defiling the next generation with television shows, movies, internet and video games that we produce for them. And we are defiling our own hearts and minds with watching the same things. Out of everything that human beings have defiled, the thing that disgusts me the most is how we have defiled religion. We have even made Christianity about rituals that focus around self. We are more in pursuit of happiness than we are in pursuing God. We put on concerts that are seeker friendly, yet we don't worship and seek the one we call "Friend". We are defiling Christianity. But there is a religion that is pure and undefiled.
"Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." (James 1:27)
This week I have witnessed, pure and undefiled religion. I have had the privilege to go out to do Sidewalk Sunday School in the townships of South Africa. As we pulled into the township of Guguletu with the Metro Land Rover, kids from the shacks from all over started running towards the truck screaming, "Good News! Good News!" As soon as they saw the truck roll in it was like their worries, fears and problems disappeared. As hundreds of children sat on the ground listening to the "Good News", I am sure that in the sight of our God it was pure and undefiled religion. As we played with the children afterwards, swinging them around, rubbing their heads, giving them hugs, being attacked by the boys or even having the girls jump on your back shouting "Ash Ash Kalum Kalum!" (Still don't know what that means!), I can imagine God looking down and seeing pure and undefiled religion. And as we walked into an orphanage one afternoon where children have no idea of a mother or father, I am sure God looked down and saw pure and undefiled religion.
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