Eating at God's Table, Chap. 3

So I begin by contemplating the questions Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove laid out in his third chapter: "What could it possibly mean to base our lives and relationship to money on the assumption of abundance? What difference would it make in our hopes and dreams? In our daily lives?" These are questions I don't think I have ever really thought about in depth. I have always been thankful for the money I have, but I have never felt I have an abundance. I am always hoping to have a little more to make my life easier and allow for greater generosity. I do compare myself to those who do not have to pay for school on their own or are able to travel often. Money has never driven me to seek out a degree for the purpose of a "good paying" job or power, but money still remains somewhat important in my mind, even if I do not consciously think it does. I secretly think more is better. If I started living out a life like I already had more than I think my life would change dramatically. I don't think I would feel as discontent as I sometime do, and I would be able to put God first in my life because money and my own security wouldn't be as large a priority in my mind. It would redefine what it means to be a citizen of this Earth!

I felt Jonathan's desire to change the world, through helping the poor receive money and power from the rich, was an important example. I think often Christians believe that a redistribution of wealth is the answer to oppression, but if we were to step back from the situation and look at what we are actually doing and what the result of our good intentions are we might come to the same conclusion Wilson-Hartgrove came to: unintentionally continuing the evil cycle of power grabbing and greed by our taking control of the situation. It's a tempting thing to fight the powerful by becoming powerful, but what is the result of gaining power?

I am interested to see what tactics Jonathan will come up with that allow for us as Christians to change the world through the cracks...