A Matter Of Perspective

It seems as though my mail increases this time of year with all of the holiday specials and sales. I have random advertisements stuck to my door, encouraging me to buy one thing or another for someone as a Christmas gift. The other night a salesman came to my door, offering me a great deal on cable and internet. When I told him that I don't have cable or use internet at my house, he looked at me with such shock that you would have thought I told him I have a giraffe in my condo. He continued his sales pitch, encouraging me to buy the package deal so that I have something to do when it's snowing outside. He ended his speech with a question that has still been haunting me over the last few days...he said "it's only $50...what else are you going to do with $50"?
Well, as I closed my door, my mind started wandering...thinking of all of the people who I know that would do anything for $50 a month!

• I thought of several missionary friends of mine who live off of $1000 a month - and a commitment of $50 a month would add up to $600 for them over the year (which doesn't seem much to us, but when you live off so little or in a foreign country, it will go a long way).
• I thought of a ministry I have worked with that can get meals to kids at a cost of 25 cents a meal...which would mean that $50 a month would provide 200 meals to kids whose parents can't afford to feed them.
• I thought of the many child sponsorship programs around the world where you can contribute to a child's physical, spiritual & educational well-being for around $30 a month (the 'community center' here provides a meal for dozens of kids each day in Swaziland, who otherwise wouldn't get food every day).
• I thought of so many parents I have met around the world who work endlessly to provide for their families, yet still don't have enough money to buy their children shoes so that they can go to school...imagine what a one time gift of $50 dollars could do (the house in this picture is where the teacher - one of the few working men in the village in Haiti - lives with his wife and their 9 children)!
  

So while I don't think that everyone needs to cancel their cable and internet, I do think that we should think creatively about our finances and look at it from a different perspective, willing to sacrifice a few of our comforts so that others can simply have a few necessities. As we shop for Christmas presents and budget for 2011, let us remember that most of the rest of the world lives on less than $1 a day, and that it's only by the grace of God that we find ourselves on this end of the equation (wondering how we can give) instead of the other (wondering how we are going to feed our families or keep them warm during the winter)...and let that impact how we spend our money!
The next time the cell phone salesperson asks you if you want to upgrade your phone for $20 more, take a minute to think about what you need instead of what you want, and about how God could multiply your $20 for His glory and people's joy! The next time you get a cup of coffee, get a size smaller and start collecting the extra 50 cents in a jar - knowing that you can donate it to provide 2 meals for kids!
As we enter into the most materialistic season of the year, in one of the richest countries in the richest times in history, may God protect us from the lies of the culture & the enemy, and give us a new perspective on our money, and give us discernment about how we should spend it.

"...your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness." (2 Corinthians 8:14)