We never have enough money, whatever that means. We have debt (car, house, student loans, credit cards). We want to be able to buy nice clothes and gifts for our spouses and our children. We want to be able to eat out, to go to the movies, to attend live theater and sporting events. There is never enough money to do all that we want to do. And then we encounter Paul’s words in today’s passage and (at least hopefully) they give us pause to stop and think.
In writing to the early Christians in Corinth Paul encourages exuberant and radical giving. He doesn’t ask the members of the early church to put themselves in places of hardship, but he does ask them to make sacrifices (v13). And then I get to thinking, what kind of sacrifices am I willing to make so that others can have their needs met? And I hope that you’re willing to ask yourself, what kind of sacrifices are you willing to make so that others might have their needs met?
In doing some preparation for World Communion Sunday earlier this week I came across an interesting photo essay that Time Magazine recently did called What the World Eats. It highlights 15 families from around the world, what they eat in an average week, and what that costs. Most of the families seem to be eating quite well. One in particular is not. There is a family of six from Chad that eats on $1.23 each week. Seeing their picture, with what they eat in an average week makes me think about my refrigierator, my pantry, and the easy access that I have to meals out. I may never have enough money for all of the things that I want, but surely I have enough to make some sacrifices so that others, like this family, might have their needs met.
Rev. Jeff Clinger is the pastor for members of the Resurrection family whose last names begin with D-I. He can be reached via email at jeff(dot)clinger(at)cor(dot)org and he blogs regularly at Changing to Bring Change.
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