Reasons to get angry

A friend recently posted a link on Facebook about the ten things we should get angry about before we get angry about women wearing yoga pants. I thought it made a good point, but I wanted to bring it a little closer to home for you.

Note: I don’t care what your stance on spandex is – frankly, if you get angry at this article because you think I’m for yoga pants, you missed the point.

Matthew 23:24-25 says, “You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.”

We need to neglect our Pharisaical mindset and remember that the hand of God could touch this ugly world if only we would reach out our own hands. Jesus was the man who healed on the Sabbath, so do what Jesus did. Realize that some things are more important than following the letter of the law. Let’s not strain out the gnat of yoga pants only to swallow the camel of human trafficking.

So, without further ado, here are 10 legitimate reasons Oklahomans should get angry:

1. According to Feeding America, one in six people in Oklahoma struggles with hunger.

But you want to argue about whether or not we should eat in the church.

 

2. The crime rate in Oklahoma City is high. There are 6,475 violent crimes committed annually, according to city-data.com.

But you want to argue about whether Christians should have nice cars.

 

3. Nearly 17 percent of women have been victims of sexual violence in the U.S. However, this number is 35-45% higher in Oklahoma, according to the Oklahoma Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.

But you want to talk about yoga pants.

 

4. Robinson Avenue is home to many prostitutes, some of who were put out on the street at age 15 or younger.

But you want to argue about women’s roles.

 

5. In Oklahoma, 216,608 children live in poor families, according to the National Center for Children in Poverty. They won’t get to enjoy extravagant things like Christmas presents and extra food.

But you want to argue about whether we should celebrate Christmas in December or at all.

 

6. In 2013 in Oklahoma, 5,013 abortions took place. That is just the most recent statistic.

But you want to argue about Adam and Eve’s belly buttons (if you don’t believe me that people talk about this click here).

 

7.The Oklahoma Department of Human Services has recorded a 33 percent jump in children taken into custody due to abuse and neglect since the summer of 2012.

But you get angry at that kid for having fun in church.

 

8. In Oklahoma, 20 percent of people do not worship a god of any sort, much less the God.

But you want to debate the Greek translation of some esoteric verse.

 

9. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, One in 10 U.S. adults suffer from depression.

But you want to argue about clapping in the church.

 

10. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, 91 percent of women surveyed on a college campus had attempted to control their weight through dieting. If almost all women think they are overweight, there is something wrong.

But you want to talk about yoga pants.

Let’s not talk about yoga pants right now. First, let’s work as Christians to get some of these statistics down and focus on God’s will for Oklahoma. Then we can focus on straining out that pesky gnat.