The Amount and The Purpose of Our Abundance

Consider the following quote from economist Robert Heilbroner. He describes the luxuries that a typical American family would lose if they lived among the one billion destitute and hungry people in poverty-stricken India:

We begin by invading the house of our imaginary American family to strip it of its furniture. Everything  goes: beds, chairs, tables, television sets, lamps. We will leave the family with a few old blankets, a kitchen table, and a wooden chair. Along with the bureaus go the clothes. Each member of the family may keep in one wardrobe his one oldest suit or dress and a shirt or blouse. We will permit a pair of shoes for the head of the family, but none for the wife or children.

We move to the kitchen. The appliances have already been taken out, so we turn to the cupboards... The box of matches may stay, a small bag of flour, some sugar and salt. A few moldy potatoes, already in the garbage can, must be rescued because they will provide much of tonight's meal. We will leave a handful of onions and a dish of dried beans. All the rest we take away: the meat, the fresh vegetables, the canned goods, the crackers, the candy.

The bathroom must be dismantled, the running water shut off, the electric wires taken out. 

Next we take away the house. The family can move to the tool shed.... Communications must go next. No more newspaper or books - not that they are missed, since we must take away the family's literacy as well. In our shack we will allow one radio

 Now government servies must go next. No more postmen, no more firemen. There is a school, but it is three miles away and consists of two classrooms... There are, of course, no hospitals or doctors nearby. The nearest clinic is ten miles away and is tended by a midwife. It can be reached by bicycle, provided the family has a bicycle, which is unlikely...

Finally, money. We will allow our family a large cash hoard of five dollars.

We live in America. Whether upper class or lower class, we have all been born into privilege. We have so much while others have so little. And with this abundance and privilege, I am seeing, comes responsibility. What should be my response to the unearned favors that fill my life?

Through scripture, it seems that God gives only one correct response to abundance: sharing.

God gives some people more than they need so that they can be channels of blessing to others. The Bible commands that all believers show love for the needy all over the world. A very large portion of those needy brethren right now are in Asia and India. The wealthy brethren are in the United States, Canada, and a few other nations. The conclusion, it seems, (according to 2 Corinthians 8:13-14, 1 John 3:14, 17-18, and James 2:14-17) is this: The affluent believers must share with the poorer churches.

Nick and I have not been doing this. We have, in fact, been completely ignorant to the needs of the world around us. 

But now - we're aware. 

I'm praying we'll be obedient with the knowledge we now have. 

Certainly, it won't be comfortable. But it will be necessary.