ThoughtfortheDayIfabutterflyfluttersitswings,sochaostheorygoes,itcancausethepathofatornadotochange,andsothereverberationscanbefeltacrosstheworld.Inretrospect,itlooksasifwhatwashappeningtothecostoffoodintheMiddleEastafewyearsagohadjustthatimpact.ThefrustrationsofTunisianfruitsellersandtheseethingangerofEgyptiansoverthepriceofbasicfoodstuffswereignoredbytherestoftheworldthenbutanalystshavesincetracedthemastherootsoftheArabSpringupheavals.Foodshortagesandhighpriceshavehadconsequencesthroughouttheagesasthehistoryofrevolutionsremindsus.NowonderthatpoliticiansandtheUnitedNationsarebecomingincreasinglyconcernedaboutrisingpricesleadingtoaglobalfoodcrisis.Drought,thediversionofcorncropsintotheproductionofbiofuels,thecorruptionandchaoticdistributionoffoodinsomedevelopingnations,alltheseareshapingacomplexglobalfoodeconomy.Addincertainspeculatorsandfoodconglomeratesaimingforhigherprofits,andmanyaidcharitieswarnthatthisisarecipefordisasterforthepoorestinthedevelopingworld.Butwhat'sitgottodowiththeordinaryindividual?Isn'tsomethingascomplexasafoodcrisisjustforthepoliticiansandtheUNtosortout?Moralityissurelypersonal,asisarelationshipwithGod,andone'sreligiousbeliefsstretchasfarasdealingwiththoseimmediatelyaroundus.Onceinawhilethefaceofastarvingchildonthenewsmightpersuadeustomakeadonationtoacharitybuttheindividual'sinvolvementgoesnofurther.TheusualreadingofChrist'sparableoftheGoodSamaritan,forexample,isthatitisacalltorespondtoanindividualinneed,albeitthatChristianityisacalltohelpthestrangeraswellasfamilyandfriends.ButgrowingChristianthinkingisthatifwehungerandthirstforwhatisrightthenwecannotturnawaywhensomethinghasgonedeeplywrongwithhowtheworldfunctions,causingthemostvulnerabletosuffer.Puttingafewcoinsinacollectingtinisnotenough.InsteadtheChristianhastocombatwhatiscalledstructuralorsocialsin,theinjusticesoftheworldcausedbyitssystemsandinstitutionswhichleadpeopletolivewithoutdignityandtheresourcesthattheyneed.Butstructuresofcoursedon'thavewills,andwedo,andthechallengetodayistoaskdowehavethewilltospeakup,getinvolvedandchangewhatisunjust?Orwillwepassbyontheothersideoftheroad?混沌学理论提到，如果一只蝴蝶扇动翅膀，龙卷风的路线会因其改变，全世界都将感觉到随之而来的影响。回顾往昔，若干年前中东粮食价格的波动和此如出一辙。当时，其它国家并没有重视中东态势，突尼斯水果商因基本食品价格心情沮丧，埃及人则愤懑不已，然而，分析家们认定，当时的情形就是动荡不安的“阿拉伯之春”的根源。几年来，粮食短缺和高昂的物价带来的后果和以往革命带来的后果一样。难怪政客和联合国都越来越担心上涨的物价会导致全球粮食危机。旱灾、利用玉米生产生物燃料、某些发展中国家食品分配过程中存在的贪污现象，这些正使全球食品经济变得复杂。许多慈善援助机构都发出警告，谋求暴利的投机商和食品大公司的参与将为发展中国家的贫苦人民带去深重的灾难。普通人应该怎么做？和食品危机同等复杂的问题是否只有靠政客和联合国去解决？道德和上帝相关，是绝对私人的。一个人的宗教信仰能改变他与周围人相处的方式。新闻里孩子挨饿的面孔可能一时间让我们捐款给慈善机构，但个人的行为并不会产生深远的影响。有关乐善好施的人的基督教寓言故事旨在号召人们对需要帮助的人施以援手，尽管基督精神就是让人们像对待家人和朋友那样对待陌生人。然而，越来越多的基督教徒认为如果我们渴求正义，那么当世界局势混乱，最脆弱的人民受苦受难时，我们不能视而不见。往募捐罐里丢几枚硬币是远远不够的。相反，基督教徒们必须与恶行斗争，与各制度、各组织产生的不公正现象斗争，它使人们失去了应有的尊严与智慧。当然，具有意愿的...
