How Much is Enough? – American wealth and a world of poverty

It’s Sunday afternoon. I sit here with a cup of coffee, with chocolate raspberry creamer, with chocolate whipped cream and a cherry on top. I needed it. Many American’s would understand my feelings and my “need” for something special to soothe me.

I’m livid and broken-hearted and broken-spirited and disgusted and angry and ashamed. It actually took more than a specialty coffee to soothe me. In fact, I’m not yet soothed. I need more time to calm down and think straight instead of through this red haze that follows me around.

I’m not proud of myself. I should go straight to God. I was with God all morning. And then my “team” let me down. We’re in this together people! We’re not playing at a game here. But we are in this together. We are only as good as our weakest player? Is that me? Did I let you down?

When we have a problem, what do we Americans do about? We throw money at it – even if that money is being thrown directly into the garbage. It’s not unlike going to a restaurant and eating half of your meal and refusing a doggy bag. Making a pot of coffee and dumping the last cup when it’s cold. We are wasteful.

We ask for good, entertaining programming and then we don’t participate. My excuse? It’s not good programming. I want better, different. Some people don’t even care about what’s offered as long as they aren’t expected to do more than they are comfortable with. We are consumers.

I don’t want to be a consumer. I want to be a reproducer. I want a challenge. I want to do more. I’m told to let others have a chance. Well, where are they?

I’m sorry. We are a part of the wealthiest 15% of the world and we are not content. We want more. We should do with less. We don’t take advantage of what we already have.

In the Old Testament, God allowed Solomon to build Him a Temple for his name. In the New Testament, God did not require an extravagant church. We are the Church.

Snarky alert – What a lovely, brand new facility we will have for half of our children to refuse to participate in. And the parents will sit back and lift nary a finger. We are not here to perform. We are here to consume. We are too embarrassed to praise, but we are not beneath teasing those who do.

Have at it!

Now the Lord has fulfilled his promise that he made. For I have risen in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and I have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.

1 Kings 8:20 (ESV)

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV)