Jen's friend passed a song along to her, it resonates with us and where we're at, here's a snippet:
"Well, I’m weary of the spoils of my ambition and I’m shackled by the comfort of my couch. I wish I had the courage to deny these of myself and start to store my treasure in the clouds ‘cause this is not my home...and I’m just a little jealous of the freedom that you have, unfettered by the wealth of a world that we pretend is gonna last. They say God blessed us with plenty, I say you’re blessed with poverty ‘cause you never stop to wonder whether earth is just a little better than the Land of the Free." -Land of the Free by Andrew Peterson
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3 comments:
Blessed with poverty? Do you mean the kind of poverty where you weren't starving, had a roof over you head, weren't afraid of your neighbors, had no plans for your future or your childrens'? Would it still be poverty? Would the point to be self-sacrificing in order to help your neighbors excape it but not yourself?
If we live comfortably but not extravagantly, if we have jobs we like that we feel contribute to some common good, if we share what we have and open ourselves to the welfare of others, isn't that better than glorifying poverty?
Silly mommy...you've missed the point. The song is about the feeling that somehow those in poverty 'get it' better than those of us in comfort. There is a balance between riches and poverty, to not be so rich and comfortable that you forget about Loving others and Loving God (the greatest commandments above all others), and not be so poor that you are so desperate that for your own sustanance you do things that don't love others nor God (steal, kill, etc.).
It's a big world, I don't think that one person taking a vow of poverty is the solution, but many people opening their eyes to the reality of injustice, poverty, greed, and the like would change the world as we counter the culture that wants our money at the expense of our souls.
Becoming poor yourself is not the answer, at this stage, the answer is awareness and action. We're slaves to materialism, living way beyond necessity and well into excess.
Here's some more song lyrics, "Love can free us from all excess, from all our debts, for when our hearts are full we need much less."
The problem with living comfortably vs. extravagantly is that it's a sliding scale...what is comfort and what is excess? I'm still trying to figure that out myself.
I agree that it doesn't help another to escape poverty by swearing off all posessions and joining them, but it does make sense to take what you've been blessed with to bless others (materials, education, connections: which we didn't earn entirely, but received as a matter of circumstance).
OK...OK...that sounds better...you are making me feel guilty and keeping me up at night with philosophical wranglings about my own life...and what's left of it! I suppose that's a good thing...the "unexamined life isn't worth living..."? Happy first day of spring! Love you!
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