What would you do with a million dollars?

A former United States President proclaims that the greatest problem humanity in the next 100 years is not Global Warming but the increasing chasm between rich and poor. 75% of the wealth in the world is in the US, the us contains 20% of the world population. That is 75% of the worlds wealth are possessed by 20% of the people. What do we do with our wealth, do we spread the wealth. I am quick to answer, yes! I give some of my wealth to the church, my friends and family- those who need it, those who I know. What about those I do not know, how quickly am I to reach into my pocket to give away my loose change. Is that all I have to give the “bum” on the street. There is a problem with this paradigm. No matter what part of the country or the world we are from we all have had the opportunity to meet the need of a homeless person on the street. The next time you see a person in need sit back and watch you will be amazed by what you see. More often than not people just walk by without even a glance as if they are numb to the person. Others reach into an empty pocket and pull out the inner fabric as to say “I do not have anything,” and others take out their spare change and give that a way as they walk into Starbucks to buy a 5 dollar cup of java.
A corporate executive once told me that he made 5 sandwiches every day, on his way into NYC he would hand the sandwiches to those people he would come across. Not the roll of bills in the other pocket. A school teacher gave up here daily coffee and bagel to help the homeless orphans of Romania, a year later she had given $1300.

We fail to recognize theses “bums” as human being made in the image of God. We do not see this man as Jesus see him, we see him as a failure who weighs on society and has never and never will be a productive member of society.

In America today there is a desire to volunteer, this generation of teenagers and young adults give freely of their time and themselves to serve. Their parents who have it all, the boomers, nearing retirement have the money and the time to meet needs like never before. The boomers were the “All about me” generation that created the consumer culture. Their offspring have discovered that their parent’s success had not guaranteed happiness. If the US is the center of world wealth why do we not give more, the problem is that we are also the center of world debt; we are held captive by consumer debt. We have car payments, mortgages and school loans that prevent us from really impacting the kingdom. All too often we take financial classes and seminars for our personal financial gain forgetting the lessons on charity, stewardship and giving to the poor. Although we are challenged by the teachers and speakers that we can give more to God and you can never out give God.

If God blessed you with a Million dollars would it change who you were? Would you drive the same car, live in the same house, attend the same church? Would you live the same standard of living, giving the overflow the people who really need it? I again, say yea! I will feed the poor, home the homeless, strengthen the weak; but would I really? Or would I become fat, living high on the hog? I tend to believe that many of us would not handle the responsibility of an abundant amount of money, because we are not responsible with the small amount we receive from week to week. Remember it was Jesus that said in the parable of the talons; “His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' Matthew 25:21 NIV. Are you being faithful with what the Lord has given you?