By Colter Hettich, Features Editor

Abilene doesn’t need our help. Don’t let people guilt-trip you into thinking it does.

If you’re driving and pass a neighborhood that looks like it is falling apart, don’t worry – they’re fine.

If everyone you brush shoulders with at the mall looks happy and rich, you’re right.

They are.

If you go to church on Sunday morning and don’t see people drowning in depression, homosexuality, debt, abuse and drug or sex addiction, fear not – your eyes are open.

If you don’t give those dirty people with signs money, good.

They’re just going to blow it on alcohol or drugs. And don’t even think about giving them food, water or helping them find a job; they just want your money.

The people who really need our help live far away in those places you hear about on TV or at church. Children only starve in third-world countries; we all know that.

If you just can’t stop thinking about your next upcoming international mission trip, make sure and wave to all the homeless in Abilene on your way to the airport.

When you arrive at your destination, you should take a heart wrenching picture of some children on the street. Upon returning, first post the picture on Facebook so your Christian friends can appreciate what they take for granted.

Then go show the same picture to the homeless, wheelchair-ridden man on N. 1st Street and explain to him why you spent hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars to fly away and help people just like him somewhere else.

He’ll understand.

Whenever you start to doubt this way of thinking, which you will, just remind yourself of what Jesus did and taught in the scriptures.

As soon as Jesus was old enough, he took off to minister in every corner of the world.

Well, I’m sure he would have if he had lived a little longer. For some reason he spent his ministry in the areas around Nazareth, where he grew up. I’m not sure why, but he’s God, and God’s ways are higher than our ways.

And that part in Acts where it talks about first to Judea, then to Samaria and then to the ends of the earth . yeah, that was written a long time ago, and I’m sure there are plenty of scholarly ways to rule it void.

If not, you can always just ignore it.

Plus, who wants to go on a spring break campaign to Abilene?