Consuming

I was thinking today about how much I eat, not only eat but on an average of how much I consume in resources in general. I didn't have much time to fix the usual lunch today for work and so I grabbed the quickest and easiest thing at my house, it happened to be an orange. I sat at work and ate my orange it was a delicious orange but it didn't quite satisfy my hunger and made me think, "In some countries people most likely don't get anything but an orange for the whole day. Or atleast I know they don't nearly consume as much as me because they can't."

This has made me think about GFA and VOM these two ministries have greatly impacted my thinking on these other countries and have placed them deeply in my mind. I really hope thinking about this more activates change in my heart for those with less. I feel impressed on my heart to make an attempt to consume less but to give more. I also want to be more thankful for what I do have whether is a full meal or just an orange, the Lord has been so good to me and I desire to praise Him for this all the more. There was a discussion on complaining and this is something that I need to repent of, its a disease that comes from an ungrateful heart but my desire is to be grateful in and for all things.

I thought I would share this for others on the forum to examine yourself and test yourself in this area of consuming. I was incredible grateful for my orange and now I seek to be satisfied and content with it if that be the case.

God Bless,
Matthew

Brother Matthew, I can very much relate to this. Consumption seems to be all around us here in the West. Our economies of course rely on consumerism for growth, but it just seems that it has all gone way too far. Constant advertising and hard selling enticing our senses to indulge is an ongoing threat to our spirituality.

It's interesting however that in some countries with very little in the way of consumerism e.g. Ethiopia you will meet kids with so much joy in their little hearts compared to kids in the West with their incessant 'I wants'.

From my own point of view it's essential not to over indulge in the plenty that exists in the West. Eat a sensible diet and thank God for it. There are many occasions when, I have to admit, I neglect this. Your story about the orange is really good (I love oranges too). It does us well to reflect often and mortify pride/selfishness in our heart.

1 Tim 6:6

David

Hi I was in Mexico City with a ministry group. We helped "do" sidewalk sunday school. We went to 4 locations each day and did games, skits, songs, and word. It was life-changing to say the least.

We handed out bread one certain day, but ran out after 2 groups. The "gringos" pooled our peso's and bought all the bananas this marketplace had. I was dressed as a clown, and had the job of having fun with the children. I helped pass out bananas, some we would not even use for banana bread. They were so over-ripe. I tried not to weep in front of the children. It wiped me out to have to hand a child a banana that I know I would throw in the garbage at home. That was
15 yrs ago and to this day, if my banana has a brown spot, I eat it with a tear and a smile.

Ruf

This is a good thread and brings out many points worth considering.

Davy said

Ethiopia you will meet kids with so much joy in their little hearts compared to kids in the West with their incessant 'I wants'.

Rather than lift up the children who have never been subjected to the constant barrage of advertising, I suggest we pray for the poor children who are being ruined by it. Children in developed countries are the same as children in Ethiopian countries. They are born innocent. Our society fills them with desire for material things from the cradle. This is a grave sin and not of their own choosing.

The second those joy filled children see there is stuff to want, they are filled with the 'I wants,' just not to the same degree because they know how impossible the desire is. Here, children are never made privilege to the state of the family finances. All they know is a plastic card gets swiped through a slot and the item is theirs.

rufnrust,

Your retelling of the 'banana give away' is very touching. Praise Jesus that you still feel as you do.

Kind regards,
white stone

I enjoyed greatly your testimony Ruf what a beautiful testimony and prime example of gratefulness.

I am still working hard at consuming, I found if I don't keep in my and have a thankful heart it becomes very difficult to resist the unsatifiable hunger of my flesh. I am guessing the rule of thumb a thankful heart is a happy heart runs very true here.

Its difficult in the western culture to break free from that consumer mentality. As WhiteStone pointed out its just so easy to see something, want it, and then just as easy to get it, with very little effort or work. And I agree we need to be praying for the children of the west and this mentality but to all add the Parents of those children because they certainly are just as likely to fall into the same trap.