How can I own nice things when others are desperately poor?

[seawind]

Our church put together Thanksgiving food baskets for needy families in our area. My husband and I were honored to be a part of it and were able to deliver one of the baskets directly to a needy family’s home. I have not been able to get the image out of my mind of the living conditions of this family. They were a family of eight living in a small, run-down mobile home with broken window. (It is freezing where we live too!) Anyway, after seeing this humble family who so graciously accepted this small food gift for Thanksgiving, I was in tears at the way they are living.

My husband and I are not by any means wealthy. We are renting our home and living within our means – including faithfully tithing according to the Bible. I guess I am just wondering how we – or anyone for that matter – should not be feeling guilty that we are living in a decent home with a full refrigerator while there are other people out there living under such meek conditions. Should we not be driving our new van while there are people living in a home with a broken window during winter? What are your thoughts on this matter?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

You are to be commended for your generous, caring heart. It is good to not just give money to a cause but to open one’s eyes to the desperate situation of others by interacting with them personally and empathizing with their problems. To the extent that such experiences make us aware of our own blessings and willing to continue to do all that we can to help others, it is good to ponder the inequities in living conditions in our own neighborhoods.

That doesn’t mean though that you need to feel guilty that you have a decent home and decent transportation. All that you need to do is to understand that the blessings we are given are not given to us to hoard but to enable us to serve others. Your van, for example, enabled you to bring Thanksgiving meals to families in your area. That, in and of itself, is reason to be grateful to God that you have it.

Recommended reading:

Live Simply? Live Shrewdly by Donna Doornik