Riches

Chile is a hugely stratified society. Everyone knows their place and knows how to tell where everyone else slots in. I've been kind of considering myself upper class, as I speak English and I've got white skin (sadly, this matters). But it doesn't rest easy with me. Over time I've worked out that my wage is about double that of a cleaner and a little over half that of a nurse - so I guess that actually makes me middle class. Such is the privilege of a Western foreigner - I automatically have the sort of flexibility and respect that local people may never earn. But all this has made me see that I have 'issues' with the rich. I don't like their richness and I don't like being associated with them. What's going on?

What's going on is that I'm feeling judgmental and guilty because I feel like it's wrong for some people to have more than enough, while others don't have what they need. I feel like the poor are poor because the rich aren't generous.

It is certainly wrong that some people don't have enough, but the way of righting this doesn't lie solely with the rich. Social systems are more complex than that and God is powerful and has many creative means at his disposal. It's not all up to us. And now is not the age for abolishing poverty - that's what heaven is for, and he will carefully shepherd his people, poor and rich, into that good place.

And while it might be wrong for some to lack all they need, it's not wrong to have more than enough - it's a blessing! What is wrong is to have this and not be generous. So there's no need for me to be ashamed or hide my wealth - but I do need to question my generosity. And generosity is something I'm only slowly learning and I still don't know exactly what it should look like. But, by God's grace, I'm getting there and will arrive.