I understand that you are in need of something but I barely have enough money for myself. So what should I do should I still help you out and just trust in God for some money to supernaturally appear or should I be "wise" with my finances and believe that there is some other way you will get what you need even though I could help?
It is a bit ironic that my last blog was about how selfish and a horrible person that I think that I am and now I am blogging about sharing all of our resources with others. I am a strong believer in the idea that what resources I have I am to share with others (unless it is my PS2 or my clothes with my little brother, that's a totally different thing). The problem I have, besides having random days of selfishness, is that we live in a society that is all about protecting one's own resources rather than sharing them. Even in different church settings your are given the example of hording what you have and just giving very little to support those around you who are in genuine need.
I think the problem we have is when we start to believe that what we have really belongs to us as individuals rather than to support a community or one another. We are a people created by God for community and as a community we are called to share our resources however large or small they are.
Tonight someone I know asked me for a roll of toilet paper because they were out and couldn't afford to buy any at the moment. My instant response was sure I'll get you a roll but then I began to think to myself: "What good would one roll do for someone who is taking care of an apartment full of 6 others? I know I don't even have enough money to make my car payment right now but what matters is this person needs some toilet paper. OK I'll take this person and buy them some." So I took this person to the store bought them like 24 rolls of the soft kind of toilet paper which was a bit more expensive but when it comes to wiping I prefer not using construction paper.
Side note: Honestly what is the deal with toilet paper? We wipe our noses and faces with the softest tissues that have all sorts of things made out of them to help keep our faces feeling nice and yet we wipe our asses with construction paper. Seriously don't you think your butt is just as sensitive as your nose?
Anyway. So what if it cost me a little bit of money and I am even more short from being able to pay my car payment this person was in need of something essential. How could I not help and buy this person what they needed? This person was humble enough to admit they needed help what could I do just ignore them? That would have been crazy.
But, I wonder how often other people around me are in need of little things like toilet paper, bread, water, a ride to work, or maybe even a place to sleep. And I wonder how many people like me would be unwilling to admit they are in need of help and ask for something because of fear of what others might think.
God has created us to be a community and I think it is time we stopped worrying about how much we own to give ourselves a better life and start caring about others having what they need to live.
Okay, granted you don't need toilet paper to live: but honestly, you get the point.
B
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