A kind-hearted friend thought out loud, “How can I justify spending $2000 to visit India for two weeks to help with aid projects when I could send that money to a missionary friend there who could live off it for a year?”
Good question. It’s a question that captures many of the challenging decisions that must be made when want to help others. It can even be a little paralysing and depressing to think about. But it’s worth it.
How can we best use our excess?
$2000 dollars could:
- fund a new hobby like scuba diving that we’ve always dreamed of;
- take our family on a well-needed holiday;
- dig a well for clean water for a village in a developing nation;
- support four orphans for a year;
- fund a trip where you see projects, encourage locals, and come back inspiring others to give and go;
- buy about 500 happy meals (can’t buy happiness though)
I’m still working on a great answer. But here are some thoughts so far.
Remember the purpose of your heart, that God-given desire to help and put others before yourself.
If you are led by need it could do your head in (or make you a hero like Mother Teresa?). I try to pray about financial decisions and be led by God.
In Ecclesiastes, a Hebrew book of wisdom, it says, “There’s a time for everything under the sun.” As long as money is not your god then it’s just money, it comes and it goes.
What are your thoughts about how we can best use our excess?
Showing posts with label excess. Show all posts
Showing posts with label excess. Show all posts
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Rich I tell you!
You are rich. Maybe you aren’t rich beyond your wildest dreams but rich nonetheless. Your privileged position in the world comes with warnings and responsibilities.
You may not have thought of yourself as rich but I hope to convince you differently. Until recently I hadn’t ever thought of myself as rich. I come from a working class family in a working class suburb. I could always think of other people who are much better off than me.
My brother-in-law, Peter Rees (who has a great blog at http://theloudproject.blogspot.com/) posted a link to a site called http://www.globalrichlist.com/. By entering my yearly salary I learnt that I am in top 1% – I am among the 50,000,000 richest people in the world. Even someone on the minimum wage in Australia is comfortably in the top ten percent.
Think about it. You have access to the internet and what’s more you can read, so you must have had quite an education. If you plan to have three square meals today then that sets you apart from half of the world who live on just a few dollars a day.
My new definition is that being rich means having more than I need. The truth is that beyond the actual needs of myself and my family I have money to spare. I regularly spend money going out to eat or for entertainment – I even have the means to go on holidays while still making payments on a house. I can even invest in the hobbies and talents of my children.
I haven’t said all this so that you want to hit me up for a loan, but hopefully I’ve convinced you that you are indeed rich. Like I said before being rich comes with warnings and responsibilities. Let me put these in the form of questions for you to think about:
Could you live without all that spare money and stuff?
Would you be willing to sacrifice your riches to help the poor?
Are you prepared to exchange some of your comfort to make others more comfortable?
If you are really ready for a hit between the eyes, read from the Bible in Luke 6:24-26, which has got me thinking recently.
If you have it to spare then you have it to share.
Discuss.
You may not have thought of yourself as rich but I hope to convince you differently. Until recently I hadn’t ever thought of myself as rich. I come from a working class family in a working class suburb. I could always think of other people who are much better off than me.
My brother-in-law, Peter Rees (who has a great blog at http://theloudproject.blogspot.com/) posted a link to a site called http://www.globalrichlist.com/. By entering my yearly salary I learnt that I am in top 1% – I am among the 50,000,000 richest people in the world. Even someone on the minimum wage in Australia is comfortably in the top ten percent.
Think about it. You have access to the internet and what’s more you can read, so you must have had quite an education. If you plan to have three square meals today then that sets you apart from half of the world who live on just a few dollars a day.
My new definition is that being rich means having more than I need. The truth is that beyond the actual needs of myself and my family I have money to spare. I regularly spend money going out to eat or for entertainment – I even have the means to go on holidays while still making payments on a house. I can even invest in the hobbies and talents of my children.
I haven’t said all this so that you want to hit me up for a loan, but hopefully I’ve convinced you that you are indeed rich. Like I said before being rich comes with warnings and responsibilities. Let me put these in the form of questions for you to think about:
Could you live without all that spare money and stuff?
Would you be willing to sacrifice your riches to help the poor?
Are you prepared to exchange some of your comfort to make others more comfortable?
If you are really ready for a hit between the eyes, read from the Bible in Luke 6:24-26, which has got me thinking recently.
If you have it to spare then you have it to share.
Discuss.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Wise Giving
Merry Christmas! We hope that you are enjoying a wonderful time with family and friends – and that you’ve had the chance to exchange some great presents!
I’m sure that the Wise Men never regretted their decision to travel to find Jesus and present him with gifts, just as I am confident that over-spending at Christmas isn’t likely to become your greatest financial regret. It is always a blessing to give.
The Wise Men were blessed to be able to give their precious gifts. Their line of work had been successful enough that they were able to take a holiday to take a valuable gift to someone they hadn’t met before. In the same way, we are so blessed to be able to afford to be generous at Christmas. The Wise Men shared what they had, they shared their excess, just as we can – even if like the little drummer boy we can only give a song.
A gift brings honour to the recipient. When we give, much more is received than just an object. The person who receives the gift is honoured to know that they are valued and loved. The men were wise to honour Jesus.
Generosity is the Wise Men’s legacy. They were wise to give and it became all that they have been remembered for. Indeed no-one is likely to be remembered for what they received but rather for what they gave to others. If it wasn’t for the creativity of my wife, it would be likely that this English teacher would be remembered as the uncle who always gives books.
Wouldn’t it be great to be remembered by your family, friends and even strangers as being a generous person?
I’m sure that the Wise Men never regretted their decision to travel to find Jesus and present him with gifts, just as I am confident that over-spending at Christmas isn’t likely to become your greatest financial regret. It is always a blessing to give.
The Wise Men were blessed to be able to give their precious gifts. Their line of work had been successful enough that they were able to take a holiday to take a valuable gift to someone they hadn’t met before. In the same way, we are so blessed to be able to afford to be generous at Christmas. The Wise Men shared what they had, they shared their excess, just as we can – even if like the little drummer boy we can only give a song.
A gift brings honour to the recipient. When we give, much more is received than just an object. The person who receives the gift is honoured to know that they are valued and loved. The men were wise to honour Jesus.
Generosity is the Wise Men’s legacy. They were wise to give and it became all that they have been remembered for. Indeed no-one is likely to be remembered for what they received but rather for what they gave to others. If it wasn’t for the creativity of my wife, it would be likely that this English teacher would be remembered as the uncle who always gives books.
Wouldn’t it be great to be remembered by your family, friends and even strangers as being a generous person?
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