Day 208 Balancing Scarcity and Excess

So, I got this magazine in the Calvin FIDC packet this week called, "Reject Apathy."  It has an article in it called, "Post-Missions Cynicism," by Curt Devine. This part reminded me of our trip to Meijers over Christmas....

"My first day home, I went to the grocery store and found myself overwhelmed in the cereal aisle with its endless array of General Mills cartoons.....The conflict between excess at home and scarcity abroad is a lot to handle. The temptation can be to hate America's abundance, or forget the poverty overseas....The key is living within the tension. The book, Unearth, says, 'There is a balance beteween the humility of scarcity and peace within excess.'

"Jesus' brother James writes that every good and perfect gift comes from above. So, the first response we should have to excess is...thankfulness! God has given us food, water, malls, and Venti Mocha Frappuccinos even though we don't deserve them.

"Our second response should be wise stewardship. If your closet, fridge, or bank account is full, look for wise opportunities to give to others and encourage your friends and family to do the same.

"One other important thing to remember is that the grass is always greener on the other side. If you live in a developing country, you think you'll find more of God in America. If you live in America, you think God's presence will be more abundant in Africa. While most of us fall into this misconception, Luke 17 says that the kingdom of God isn't "here or there," it's "in our midst."

"Experiencing God's presence has nothing to do with where you are--and everything to do with how you live with those around you. (And, I think, you already know this. :)

"So, here are a few questions to ask your (and my) self...
- If you had all the time and resources to make an impact, what would you do?
- Now. With the limited resources you do have, what impact can you make on your current community?
- What small steps can you take now toward making a global change?

"America is not your enemy: it's another opportunity. Our mission is to experience God and share his love where ever we are."