Lately, I have been reading through my friend Chris Kasper's recent book, Planting Seeds & Harvesting Dreams. He shares in his book a lot of the same things that are on my heart regarding the conditions of the world & humanity. Sourced facts & statistics are coupled beautifully with his own personal feelings & opinions, making the book a pretty solid read for his first publication. (The global rich list link I posted in my previous blog was found in his book. I highly recommend checking it out.)It wasn't until last week that I was able to pick up Chris's work & begin reading it. I went to Panera for some quiet time as usual, ordering lunch, & sitting contently by myself. Once I hit about the 2nd & 3rd chapters, I began getting wrecked by facts being revealed about standard living throughout the world. According to www.globalrichlist.com, I am in the top 15% of richest people in the world. I filled in my mom's information & she is in the top one percent.
I am in the top 15% of richest people
IN THE WORLD.
Included on the website was a short list of of things we could purchase in America, & what we could do with that same amount of money in other countries. An example being that $8 could by you 15 organic apples, or with that same $8, a Honduran farmer could purchase 25 fruit trees & sell that fruit at the local market. As I continued to read on, I felt the mixed emotions of gratitude & conviction. Thankfulness & despair. Guilt & shock. The thoughts & feelings elaborated.
My reading continued. A few staggering statistics from Richard Stearns, the president of World Vision, were given. He states that about 2.6 billion people live on less than $2 a day, (40% of the world), while another 1.3 billion people live on less than $1 a day (15% of the world) Additionally, these dollars include ALL living expenses, not just food. (Stearn's information can be found on www.2dollars.org.)
IN THE WORLD.
Included on the website was a short list of of things we could purchase in America, & what we could do with that same amount of money in other countries. An example being that $8 could by you 15 organic apples, or with that same $8, a Honduran farmer could purchase 25 fruit trees & sell that fruit at the local market. As I continued to read on, I felt the mixed emotions of gratitude & conviction. Thankfulness & despair. Guilt & shock. The thoughts & feelings elaborated.
My reading continued. A few staggering statistics from Richard Stearns, the president of World Vision, were given. He states that about 2.6 billion people live on less than $2 a day, (40% of the world), while another 1.3 billion people live on less than $1 a day (15% of the world) Additionally, these dollars include ALL living expenses, not just food. (Stearn's information can be found on www.2dollars.org.)
Roughly 3.9 billion people are living off of less than $2 a day, & I just spent $10 on lunch.
Now I understand that in Monroe, MI, $10 will likely buy me more than $10 will in New York City, or an airport. I get that costs double or triple to stay at a hotel in downtown Chicago or Hollywood, CA than it does to stay at other places. I know that it is much more difficult to spend less when you live in an area of Armani apparel & Hard Rock Cafes, as opposed to corn fields & WalMarts. When rent in 1 city costs twice your paycheck for a place 1/2 the size and 1/2 the cost of your rent in another city. I understand income vs. cost of living. However, the statistics are still staggering to me.
As I sat at my table alone, I began to think about how I was feeling. What I felt was not like that of the Pharisee in Luke 18 who prayed, "I thank you God that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don't sin, I don't cheat, & I don't commit adultery. I'm certainly not like that tax collector!" (Luke 18:11, NLT) The Pharisee prayed out of self-righteousness. But what I did find myself doing was thanking God out of a spirit of poverty. My Pastor, John Piippo, once said, "To use other's lack for the occasion of my thanksgiving shows that the spirit of poverty is still upon me." I often not only take my health, wealth, & life for granted, but if I am not careful, I find myself dangerously comparing them to others who seem to have those things in greater measure. This ignites lies of insignificance, selfishness, & a subtle lust after material things where a false identity & personal value begins to root itself. It is very easy to unknowingly drift that way when I am not "abiding in the Vine" - spending much time alone with the Lord, & journaling our time together. I want to not only remember the things He speaks to me, but to live on them.
My pastor elaborated on his point & concluded with saying, "Thankfulness is the cure for the spirit of poverty." As I thought about this again, I began to realize that this should be a natural outcome if I truly am abiding in the Vine. Thankfulness is one of the many fruits of the spirit, & much like in the natural, fruit is produced when the branches relationship with the vine or the root is healthy & unbroken. If I am living out of my relationship with Christ, then I will naturally operate from a spirit of thankfulness rather than lack, because He has already given me every good thing. Just spend some time in Ephesians 1:1-14 & prepare to get demolished!
As I considered these things, my heart began to shift from thankfulness being the attainable result to thankfulness being the launching pad into action. I want to operate FROM thankfulness, not strive to acquire it, & if I am abiding in the Vine, this should occur naturally. Passion will have its way, & nations can be changed.
For a long time, the conditions of the poor & poverty-stricken have been close to my heart. Christmas is often a difficult season for me because of the idolization of gifts. Materialism is challenging for me to navigate through & even more challenging for me to justify. Why should I buy an X-Box if I know someone who has lost their job & cannot afford rent this month? I struggle to enjoy expensive things, & even when I do, I still consider how that money could have otherwise been more effectively used. I think there is a vital aspect of thankfulness to the Lord for what we have, but also an awareness of what the rest of the world is lacking & needs. It is the two sides of one coin. I think of how we are called to be faithful stewards of what we have. However much or however little we have been given. Maybe it's money, but maybe it's responsibility. Maybe it's authority, or maybe it's servanthood. It's likely to be all of these things and more. How are we ultimately serving Him with what we have been given? When we serve others, we create an environment for Him to come through for us. It's beautiful. I never want to worship myself with my own resources.
I am still chewing on a lot, & although I know it's not polite to talk with your mouth full, sometimes it helps to process things. There is so much I could write on this subject. Currently, I am simply seeking the Lord on practical ways to reach out to those in lack. I am thankful for my abundance, & I want to actively contribute it others in need. Many ideas have been stirring in my heart, so I am seeking Him on the details. There is just something within me that comes alive when I love like Jesus does.
As I sat at my table alone, I began to think about how I was feeling. What I felt was not like that of the Pharisee in Luke 18 who prayed, "I thank you God that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don't sin, I don't cheat, & I don't commit adultery. I'm certainly not like that tax collector!" (Luke 18:11, NLT) The Pharisee prayed out of self-righteousness. But what I did find myself doing was thanking God out of a spirit of poverty. My Pastor, John Piippo, once said, "To use other's lack for the occasion of my thanksgiving shows that the spirit of poverty is still upon me." I often not only take my health, wealth, & life for granted, but if I am not careful, I find myself dangerously comparing them to others who seem to have those things in greater measure. This ignites lies of insignificance, selfishness, & a subtle lust after material things where a false identity & personal value begins to root itself. It is very easy to unknowingly drift that way when I am not "abiding in the Vine" - spending much time alone with the Lord, & journaling our time together. I want to not only remember the things He speaks to me, but to live on them.
My pastor elaborated on his point & concluded with saying, "Thankfulness is the cure for the spirit of poverty." As I thought about this again, I began to realize that this should be a natural outcome if I truly am abiding in the Vine. Thankfulness is one of the many fruits of the spirit, & much like in the natural, fruit is produced when the branches relationship with the vine or the root is healthy & unbroken. If I am living out of my relationship with Christ, then I will naturally operate from a spirit of thankfulness rather than lack, because He has already given me every good thing. Just spend some time in Ephesians 1:1-14 & prepare to get demolished!
As I considered these things, my heart began to shift from thankfulness being the attainable result to thankfulness being the launching pad into action. I want to operate FROM thankfulness, not strive to acquire it, & if I am abiding in the Vine, this should occur naturally. Passion will have its way, & nations can be changed.
For a long time, the conditions of the poor & poverty-stricken have been close to my heart. Christmas is often a difficult season for me because of the idolization of gifts. Materialism is challenging for me to navigate through & even more challenging for me to justify. Why should I buy an X-Box if I know someone who has lost their job & cannot afford rent this month? I struggle to enjoy expensive things, & even when I do, I still consider how that money could have otherwise been more effectively used. I think there is a vital aspect of thankfulness to the Lord for what we have, but also an awareness of what the rest of the world is lacking & needs. It is the two sides of one coin. I think of how we are called to be faithful stewards of what we have. However much or however little we have been given. Maybe it's money, but maybe it's responsibility. Maybe it's authority, or maybe it's servanthood. It's likely to be all of these things and more. How are we ultimately serving Him with what we have been given? When we serve others, we create an environment for Him to come through for us. It's beautiful. I never want to worship myself with my own resources.
I am still chewing on a lot, & although I know it's not polite to talk with your mouth full, sometimes it helps to process things. There is so much I could write on this subject. Currently, I am simply seeking the Lord on practical ways to reach out to those in lack. I am thankful for my abundance, & I want to actively contribute it others in need. Many ideas have been stirring in my heart, so I am seeking Him on the details. There is just something within me that comes alive when I love like Jesus does.
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