Natural disasters bring out the best and the worst in people, and Hurricane Katrina is no exception. The church has risen to the occasion so far, responding immediately and with great strength to provide food, water, clothing, and other products to people who needed it where they needed it.
Countless stories are emerging of the way God is working in and through His people. That is as it should be.
Political leaders and individual citizens who are complaining about the government's response are invariably those who look to government as their savior. In their view, if there is a problem, then the government is the only source of help and hope. It is an apt metaphor that while those people were - and are - looking to government in vain, the "armies of compassion," as the President calls them, were there all along, offering help to anyone who would receive it.
The challenge before us is to continue giving of ourselves long after the news media has moved on to other stories. This is a test of our perseverance, not only for those affected, but also for those of us who are the called, to help them.