Are you rich? Am I rich?

Photo taken by Georgia Huckabee, Summer 2009, Ghana

Are you rich? Am I rich?

The following is an excerpt from Francis Chan's book "Crazy Love" ( pp.89-90) and gives us something to chew on. . ."If 100 people represented the world's population, 53 of those would live on less than $2 a day. Do you realize that if you make $4,000 a month, you automatically make 100 times more than the average person on this planet? Simply by purchasing this book, you spent what a majority of people in the world will make in a week's time.Which is more messed up - - that we have so much compared to everyone else, or that we don't think we're rich? That on any given day we might flippantly call ourselves "broke" or "poor"? We are neither of those things. We are rich. Filthy rich."

Robert Murray M'Cheyne was a Scottish pastor who died at the age of 29. Although he lived in the early part of the 1900s, his words are astoundingly appropriate for today:

'I am concerned for the poor but more for you. I know not what Christ will say to you in the great day. . .I fear there are many hearing me who may know well that they are not Christians because they do not love to give. To give largely and liberally, not grudgingly at all, requires a new heart; an old heart would rather part with its life-blood than its money. Oh my friends! Enjoy your money; make the most of it; give none away; enjoy it quickly for I can tell you, you will be beggars throughout eternity.'

The reality is that, whether we acknowledge our wealth or not, being rich is a serious disadvantage spiritually. As William Wilberforce once said." Prosperity hardens the heart."

Through our friendship with Hollie and Joel Dickens, medical missionaries to Northern Ghana, we have been made aware of the dire poverty in that region. . .Here is a recent statement from a young pastor from that area as he shares his ministry plan to reach his community. .

"Finally, we all agreed that Northern Region is regarded to the highest poverty zone in Ghana, I will therefore propose to have an intervention policy which will support the vulnerable, widows and orphans especially around the farming season where it becomes very difficult for most of the people to afford even one square meal in a day.To be able to do this I will need to engage in farming of maize so that during the hard season we can at least support the starving members and the vulnerable with some food to save them from starving to death."

This is a young pastor who must grow food for his members so that they will not starve. . That, dear friends, is the reality of 50% of the world's population. . .What can we do? . . .We can share. . .We must share. .

-Todd and Bonnie