Rich vs. Poor

Each week the last thing that our group is required to do before they leave is to fill out an evaluation of their experience with CSM and then also evaluate their host, so evaluate me.  I had an interesting evaluation last week...to say the least...and it has lead me to quite of bit of reflection this week.  The man in charge of my group last week approached myself and the other hosts i was working with last week to explain what he had written down on his evaluation.  He pointed to me and said that he did not like how i spoke about the rich and the poor.  He believed that i had almost "demonized" the rich and "glorified" the poor.  He felt i didn't accurately represent the rich in this world and point out the many things that rich people have done for the poor or point out how a rich person could use their vast sums of money to give to the poor.  He thought that all i did was point out the negatives and the things that the rich had not done for the poor.  He said that many people have worked very hard for their money and achieved "the American Dream" and should not be made less because they have worked so hard.  I was sad to hear that that is what he heard me saying all week.  I have taken some time to reflect on how i talk about the rich and poor and also thought about where he may have been coming from:

The man himself is rather wealthy and the kids that he brought on this trip all have quite a bit of money and i think some of the things he was saying about my explanations about the rich and poor might have been because at the end of the week he himself felt rather convicted that he was not using his riches in a better way to serve the poor.

Then i began to turn to what the Bible says about the relationship between the rich and the poor:

1 John 3:17-18 "But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?  Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."

James 2:5 "Listen, by beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?"

Proverbs 13:8 "A man's riches may ransom his life, but a poor man hears no threat."

Matthew 19:21-24 "Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."  When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.  Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.   Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

As the rich in this world, we are literally called to sell all we have and give it to the poor.  We are not told to give our leftovers, or just give a little bit, or just give what is comfortable.  We aren't call to work really hard and achieve "the American Dream" and then be proud of ourselves for our own accomplishments.  We are told as the rich to take care of the poor, to love the poor.  I know that that can be a tough commandment to follow and a very hard thing to swallow.  God says that it is hard for the rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  Of course it is hard, when you are rich you can take care of all your own needs and don't depend on others for any help and therefore do not depend on God.  The poor must depend on others for help and must depend on God.  We are blessed to have abundant riches and be able to live a comfortable life but i believe only truly blessed when we turn around and give back to those in need, to use our riches to positively influence others.

I will continue to expose the injustices in our world and in LA even though its not comfortable for everyone to hear.  I will continue to speak the truth in love as it is revealed in the Word of God.