Thursday, September 9, 2010

Suyo/His


(Engish at the bottom)
6.5 billones de personas en el mundo
3.2 viven en menos de $2/día
1.4 viven en menos de $1/día
34,000 mueran de hambre cada día
20% del mundo desnutrido
20% sin agua ni salud

Los EEUU gastan $715-980 billones en defensa militar en un año
Los EEUU ayudan a otras paises con $5 billones
(¿Eso igualar a Ud.?)

De todo mis ingresos del año pasado, di menos de 7% a otros.
(¿Puedo justificar eso?)

Vivo en una casa llena de cosas, tengo dos colchones, y un clóset llena de zapatos. Menos de 10% del mundo vive tan buena como yo. He tirado comida cuando otras no tienen nada.
(¿Puedo justificar eso?)

Cristianos donan 4.5% de sus ingresos, Díos pide 10%
La diferencia entre los países pobres y ricos va creciendo, ¿deben cristianos ser más generosos?

Es importante?

No es solamente dar cosas que no queremos. Es dar a todos una vida digna, y viva una vida digna al mismo tiempo (y nada más). No podemos dar todas nuestras posesiones, pero tampoco podemos quedar todo para nuestras propias. ¿Puede ser mi vida llena con cosas, un clóset llena de zapatos, y una cocina llena de comida una vida digna, pero justificar una vida sin esos cosas una vida digna igual a mío?

Entonces, debemos comprar una bicicleta nueva o usada? O, debemos caminar porque muchas otras no tienen bicicletas, entonces como podemos justificar de tener una bicicleta? ¿Debemos disfrutarnos y comprar vino carro, o solamente pide agua a restaurantes para salvar/donar dinero?

Estamos responsables por como gastar dinero y por como tratar a otras, pero también Díos quiere que disfrutarnos en la vida. Pero, donde están las límetes? ¿Cómo es posible entender que Dís nos quiere hacer? No hay una respuesta del libro, para entender la equilibria, es una lucha sucia que dura por la vida.

¿Por qué la iglesia no ayúdanos a decidir y discutir esos problemas? ¿Por qué cristianos son algunas de la gente más egoistita quien no quiere hablar sobre dinero y como debemos gastarlo? ¿Por qué el sujeto de dinero es algo que podemos olvidar fácilmente? ¿Cómo podemos justificar el evito de hablar de dinero, solamente porque es más fácil?

¿Quién nos da todos nuestros cosas? ¿A quien de todo pertenecer?

In English
6.5 billion people in the world
3.2 live on less than $2/day
1.4 live on les than $1/day
34,000 die of hunger every day
20% of the world lives with malnutrition
20% is without water or health

The USA spent $715-980 billon in military defense in one year
The USA helped other countries with $5 billion
(Does that match up to you?)

Of all the money I earned in the last year, I gave LESS than 7% to others.
(Can I justify that?)

I live in a house full of stuff, have a bed with 2 mattresses, and a closet full of shoes. Less than 10% of the world lives as good as I do. I have thrown away food when others have none.
(Can I justify that?)

On average, Christians donate 4.5% of their income, God asks for 10%.
The difference between the poor countries and the rich countries is increasing, shouldn’t Christians be more generous?

Is all of this important?

It is not enough to give away the things we don’t want anymore. It is giving everyone a life of dignity and being willing to live a life of dignity at the same time (and nothing more). We cannot give all that we have but neither can we keep all that we have for ourselves. Can my life with 2 mattresses, a closet full of shoes, and a pantry full of food be a life of dignity, and yet justify someone else’s life with a simple house and little food as a life of dignity equal to my own?

Should we buy a new bike or a used bike? Or should we walk because many people don’t have bikes, so how can we justify ourselves having a bike? Should we enjoy ourselves and order expensive wine at a restaurant, or should we only order water in order to save/donate more money?

We are responsible for how we spend our money and for how we treat others, but at the same time God wants us to enjoy life. Where are the boundaries? How is it possible to understand what God wants of us? There is not an easy book answer in order to understand the balance; it is a life long messy fight.

Why doesn’t the church help us to decide and discuss these issues? Why are Christians some of the most selfish people who refuse to talk about money and how we should spend it? Why is the subject of money something that is forgotten easily? How can we justify avoiding the subject of giving away money just because it is easier?

Who gave us everything we have? To whom does it belong?

2 comments:

  1. Oh rats! I just typed a very long comment and the computer crashed and I lost it!
    I've wrestled with thoughts like these all my life. In some ways, I don't think God wants us to feel guilt every time we experience pleasure which costs time or money. However, I also think that the Holy Spirit uses that guilt to show us what God would really like us to focus on and how we might rearrange our priorities.
    I don't think God focuses on a certain percentage of our income and lets us off the hook if we hit it. Rather, I think he wants us to have servant-like hearts and wants us to serve whenever we are able. Our time and energy are also gifts which we can and should be using to glorify God.
    Perhaps if we thought about how we can serve before we satisfy our own desires it would please God more. For example, if we want a new bike, perhaps we should first explore ways to provide bikes to those who have none or who NEED a new one. We should put our time and energy into providing for the least of these and only then should we buy a bike for ourselves. Perhaps if we doubled each thing on our grocery list and gave away the extra item it would force us to think twice about the things we purchase. Perhaps if we want to go to a nice restaurant, we should also explore how we can provide a variety of food for others. Can we organize a means to get fresh fruits and veggies to those who can't afford them? Can we pay for a struggling family to go to a restaurant without reducing their dignity? (Gift cards sent to them in the mail anonymously?)
    Ultimately, it comes down to using our brain power to THINK before we ACT and to question they way things have always been done and whether or not that is the way God wants us to continue to do them.
    I appreciate your thoughts!
    I love you!
    Mom

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  2. Today's sermon was on the end of the Beatitudes. I thought of you a few times during it and thought I'd share some of my notes with you. We (Christians) need to live with the end in mind, not live for the moment. The beatitudes focus us on the end not for what we want right now. The present (and all the things and opportunities we have)is not the Great reward. When we allow our lives to be shaped by the Beatitudes, it may not be friendly and all peaches and cream and seen through rose colored glasses. When we are blessed (and we are!) we need to watch how we use that power over others and evaluate our choices carefully. Even if it me4ans less comfort for us right now, we don't live for the now, we live with the end in mind.
    Love you!
    Mom

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