Recently I participated in discussions on how one in nine in the world lack clean water —the global unrest this creates and what the faith community is doing to respond.  “For me,” said an Arizona senator, “these issues are no longer over there but right here.” His state, as much of the southwest, is dealing with increased contentions around water rights with neighboring Mexico and how poor and rural communities there are suffering from diminished access to clean water.

Global poverty issues are no longer a boutique issue for a few humanitarian leaders who were in the Peace Corps.  Because of globalization and a changing planet, we are less isolated from these issues. They are at our front doors and on our home screens.  As we seek to raise up more champions, these issues are becoming increasing unavoidable.

Walking back from that meeting, I thought further about this notion of the problem not being “over there” but “right here.” Indeed, the greatest person needing transformation is myself. The limit to my growth in Christ is not “over there” but “right here.” What can I do today to allow the Spirit of Christ to be more at home “right here”?

We long to see the redemption of the world.  May we give every breath of our lives to this pursuit, recognizing the most important person to reach in this endeavor is “right here.”