There's no doubt about it. In many ways, we are VERY blessed to live in America. We live in the wealthiest country that has ever existed. And there are certainly some incredibly dangerous and subtle ways that this fact may be destroying us. But I'll save that for another blog!

I know of people who have gone on missions trips and come back almost hateful toward America. And I know of many others who have gone on missions trips and come back with nothing more than, "Thank God I live in America" - but it doesn't change anything about how they live.

I say there's a balance (like there is with most aspects of life).

Look, the fact is that we DO live in America. And because of that, we don't have to do a lot of things that other countries do. We don't have to walk miles to get (and carry) water that may or may not be 100% clean and safe. We don't have to worry about things like starving to death. Did you know that 1 out of 13 children in Rwanda are orphaned? We don't have to worry about disease the way most other countries do.

But that's not a reason to ignore the people who DO have to live that way.

I don't think we have to feel guilty about the fact that we have a house with running water and food to eat. But we should be compelled to do something.

Imagine if all of us stopped buying more and more and more things that we've convinced ourselves we "need," and instead started using that money to help people across the world. Instead of buying the latest greatest whatever, we save a few lives. 5 lives for an ipod. Not a bad trade.

We can't just sit back and say, "Well, it stinks for those people. I feel bad, really I do. Wish I could do something...Thank goodness I was born here!" No, we HAVE to DO something about it!

We have the most money and resources.
Therefore, we have the most responsibility to do something.

There's more than enough food and money for everyone on the planet to eat everyday. It's just that we're keeping it all to ourselves...and having a blast doing it. We don't even give it second thought 99% of the time.

And this is the heart of God. It's all throughout Scripture. Those of you reading this who don't even know if what you think of God still probably feel compelled by this. But for those of us who believe, how much more should we act, knowing full well what Scripture says about this? How can we just not care? It's the complete and udder opposite of God's character, and yet we claim to be His children.

Why do you feel entitled to have all the nice things you have? Do you really deserve them? I know you want to feel okay about buying this and that, and on the surface, it's not really a big deal. But I for one cannot and will not. I don't think I have to starve myself or anything. I'll even take in a movie from time to time and buy myself some Starbucks. But we must stop comparing our lives with those around us and assume that we need more and better things.

We are not entitled to anything.

It's only by God's grace that we're alive.