If God speaks to so many people, why isn't our world better yet?

There is one phrase that people of faith use to explain the decisions they make, the beliefs they believe and justify actions they take. There is no arguing with this phrase. It's a power phrase that shuts down any further conversation. The phrase most often used by Christians is:

"God told me"

or

"God spoke to me."

As soon as someone says this to me, I usually take it as a cop-out. For one thing, there is no way to verify whether or not God actually spoke to you or if you were just hearing your own voice inside your head.

Yes, I know Scripture says to "test the spirits"--but the way people fling this phrase around, there are either a lot of people who don't test the spirits or people keep wildly misinterpreting God's voice.

Because if God really speaks as often as Christians say He does, why isn't our world in better shape? If God really speaks so often, why is the Body of Christ so divided and messed up?

Isn't it interesting that God tells so many people to go do things that just conveniently line up with their own desires? I think that's interesting.

I also think it's interesting when Christians say God told them something about how I need to live MY life. So, not only does God speak to you about you, He also speaks to you about me. Man, I wish I had that kind of superpower!

I'm very wary of people who say God spoke to them because it means:

1. God speaks in ways humans can understand (down to specific details)
2. The people God chooses to speak to are more special than the rest of us who have a hard time hearing God speak

Now, I'm not saying God doesn't speak to people. I'm just pointing out that IF God speaks as much as everyone says He does, why aren't those same people doing more about it?

In other words, why are so many children being mercilessly neglected here and in other countries? Now, if God can speak to you about putting your precious children in Christian school, why isn't He telling you to save other precious lives by sponsoring them through a humanitarian agency?

I actually got an email from a Christian telling me she "couldn't" read my Bolivia posts because they were too...disturbing. They upset her.

Well, that upsets me.

Do you know why? Because if my stats are ANY indication, my primary readership of Christians care more about defending their decision to put their children in Christian school than they do about saving starving children in Bolivia.

I'm just going to say it: that's 100% B.S.

And it really makes me think I'm doing something horribly wrong with my blog and my writing. If my writing exists just to entertain you or to rile you up about your little first world problems (and choosing between homeschooling and private, Christian schooling IS a first world problem!), then I have failed.

If God can speak so specifically to you about sheltering and protecting your precious children from worldly influences but is silent when I write about the horrifying crimes done against children?

Then God certainly ISN'T speaking through me.