“I am the center of the universe.”
Somehow, strangely and subliminally, that mindset pervades the thoughts of every single one of us. We are all ethnocentric. We value the the things in our own life more than others.
But Jesus said the greatest commandments are to love God and love others.
Easier said than done.
Let’s pray that God’s compassion enraptures our hearts to recognize the needs and hopeless reality of billions around us who are out of reach of the gospel in the 21st century.
Here’s a few realities that show us that we may not actually be the center of the universe.
After all, the world looks like a 28 year old Chinese man. [CLICK TO TWEET]
Click the image to view the interactive face:
There are 7 billion people on our planet today.
Language
- 13% speak Mandarin as their first language
- 5% speak Spanish as their first language
- 5% speak English as their first language
Nationality
- 19% are Chinese
- 17% are Indian
- 4% are American
Religion
- 33% are Christian
- 21% are Muslim
- 13% are Hindu
Livelihood
- 40% work in services
- 38% work in agriculture
- 22% work in industry
Urban vs. Rural
- 51% live in urban environments
Literacy
- 82% are literate
There are roughly 6,000 people groups—distinct ethnic tribes—who have never heard of Jesus before.
More than 2 billion of these people have never heard the name of Jesus before.
It’s easy to get caught up in the web of our own personal affairs and forget the plight of millions who are out of reach of the gospel. [CLICK TO TWEET]
Take a moment to reflect on the things you are busy with. How much of what you are doing right now will burn? What percentage is eternal? Ask God to illuminate your heart with his compassion for people.
Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” (Matthew 9:35-38 NLT)
He cares for every single one of the 7 billion people on the earth. He wants to place that care and compassion in our hearts as well.