We spend most of our time either making money or spending money. Those of us who reside in the United States live in the wealthiest nation in human history.
Meanwhile, globalization has placed many Lazarus' at our gate. Half of the world’s population lives on less than $2 a day. Six million children experience and die from hunger each year.
A recent study found that less than 15% of American charitable giving goes to international needs. Less than 0.5% of the U.S. national budget is dedicated to poverty-focused development assistance. The experience of those who live on so little is rarely discussed in the U.S. media and barely factors into our budgets: private or public.
Most importantly, Jesus had more to say about money than nearly everything else. And, he identified his own ministry and person with those who are poor. Faithfulness to Jesus Christ, then, involves an assessment of how we relate to poverty and how we relate to money.
The modern reality of extreme poverty and inequality is so enormous that, were we to face it as individuals, we would quickly become paralyzed. However, Christ did not call us into discipleship alone. Instead, he gathered his followers into community and sent them out together. The first recorded Christian communities dealt with money openly, joyfully, and in community – choosing to provide for those in need.
