Garrrrgh!!!!!!!
"Global Christianity is wealthy. Christians make up only one third of the world's people, but we receive about two-thirds of the world's total income each year. Tragically, we spend about 97% of this vast wealth on ourselves! One percent goes to secular charities. A mere 2% goes to all Christian work. But even that tiny 2% we give to Christian causes is largely spent on ourselves-i.e., in our home congregations and in our home countries. In 1992, Christians worldwide had a total income of $9,696 billion (American). We gave only $169 billion (1.74%) to all Christian work. And only $9.2 billion of that-a mere 5.4%-went to foreign missions."
--Sider, Evangelism and Social Action, 1993
This makes me so furious I can scarcely keep from screaming out. What the **** are we Christians doing? We wonder why the world has turned away from the church. Here's the reason we're no f-ing different from them. We are a bunch of low, selfish hypocritical b*****ds. I understand how Jesus felt when he arrived at the temple and found it descrated as a marketplace. What's different today? We show off our wealth and praise this 'wondrous God' that we have for giving to us so abundantly. Pah, I spit it from my mouth. God doesn't give to us for our benefit 'To those whom much is given much will be expected'. If thats the benchmark then we are sc**wed. The God of Jesus, and Paul bestowed so bountifully so that we can serve him. In everything that we do we are called to bear witness to the truth of the gospel. Let's get out there and blimin' well walk what we were told to do.
And now that the fury has past I look at myself. I see that I am no different from this I would spend more money on myself than any other way. I look at my World Vision kid and I wonder whether I can afford to keep up the payments. In everything I do I count the cost and make sure I can afford it after I have spent on myself. I look to see what I have left over after I have done everything I want to and then ask what use I can put it to. I profess Christ is Lord and that I would gladly die for Him just don't ask me to sacrifice my luxuries. I have become like the rich young ruler and I would obey all the commandments and teachings but do not ask me to leave my wealth and comfort. And I do not know the cure.
This is my prayer then, that I will act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with my Lord. In all areas of my life.
--Sider, Evangelism and Social Action, 1993
This makes me so furious I can scarcely keep from screaming out. What the **** are we Christians doing? We wonder why the world has turned away from the church. Here's the reason we're no f-ing different from them. We are a bunch of low, selfish hypocritical b*****ds. I understand how Jesus felt when he arrived at the temple and found it descrated as a marketplace. What's different today? We show off our wealth and praise this 'wondrous God' that we have for giving to us so abundantly. Pah, I spit it from my mouth. God doesn't give to us for our benefit 'To those whom much is given much will be expected'. If thats the benchmark then we are sc**wed. The God of Jesus, and Paul bestowed so bountifully so that we can serve him. In everything that we do we are called to bear witness to the truth of the gospel. Let's get out there and blimin' well walk what we were told to do.
And now that the fury has past I look at myself. I see that I am no different from this I would spend more money on myself than any other way. I look at my World Vision kid and I wonder whether I can afford to keep up the payments. In everything I do I count the cost and make sure I can afford it after I have spent on myself. I look to see what I have left over after I have done everything I want to and then ask what use I can put it to. I profess Christ is Lord and that I would gladly die for Him just don't ask me to sacrifice my luxuries. I have become like the rich young ruler and I would obey all the commandments and teachings but do not ask me to leave my wealth and comfort. And I do not know the cure.
This is my prayer then, that I will act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with my Lord. In all areas of my life.
3 Comments:
I just wish to apoligise for my language but the words I used convey how I felt.
So now what will you do?
I drive myself crazy over this periodically, and then forget again as time goes by and something else 'really important' turns up requiring my cash. And then I drive myself crazy again. What steps can one take, to break the cycle and really make a change? Ideas anyone?
I guess one could budget more strictly. But that doesn't remove the grudging factor, and in fact I kinda think Being a Generous Person is more important than giving a certain amount.
Being spontaneous is good. In fact I think it's the key. When you see a need, you give to it before you can convince yourself not to. And you learn to carry cash around so you'll have some handy when the need arises.
The next day, when you realise you can no longer afford some personal item you might otherwise have bought, instead of having to guilt-trip yourself into not buying it because you should use the money for someone else, you can remember that you've already done that. Chances are this recollection will make you happy. And in any case it's too late to change your mind :) Hopefully, you might even start to get a little addicted to buzz of knowing you've done some good.
Obviously we aren't to go throwing money around indiscriminately, and we shouldn't abandon sense and discernment, but I think a lot of things we could be giving money to are likely to be reputable.
I think there's a lot to be said for acting out of compassion and not counting the costs.
Obviously I could do much better myself. But I think I'm making progress these days through this approach (which can equally be applied to generosity in other things such as time and attention).
Long comment, sorry.
Good post.
Oh yeah, and the other thing is, along the way Someone needs to rise up and really devote their life to some need or other in the world, start a World Vision or whatever, for the rest of us to support in this way. Not everyone. But Someone has to actually do it...
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