Perspective. How often we lose perspective, especially in our culture of media, hype and self centeredness? I often remember an old Veggie Tale video my kids liked...it spoke of a "grateful heart"... Madame Blueberry I think it was? I love Veggie Tales. Anything that has talking vegetables & fruit characters with an off-the-wall sense of humor is alright by me. But I digress. The point was perspective and grateful hearts. Especially being Thanksgiving time, it would seem to be an appropriate time for both. You see, even though our economy is rocking, and the market is diving, and jobs are being lost...and for some the threat of losing their homes in foreclosure is real...but for most people its simply being fearful of "what may be". We hear about how bad it is on TV, on the radio and in the papers...so it creates this vibe of negativity...pessimism...and fear. Yet, even with all that, its not as bad as we might think. Just over 30 years ago during the Jimmy Carter years unemployment was 10%...inflation 13.5%...and interest rates were 21.5% on your home! And we had gas rationing...like you could only buy gas every other day, and the lines were blocks long, type of gas rationing! By comparison, today we have 6.5% unemployment, 3.7% inflation, 6% mortgage rates and $1.75 a gallon gas...every day! The media and politicians all cry "depression", but during the Depression unemployment was 25% (and women didn't work then, so a man loses his job, and the family has zero income). Unemployment didn't get under 10% until 1941 when World War 2 created tons of new jobs. More than half of the United States were living below minimum subsistence levels. There was no food stamps nor unemployment benefits. 40% of all the banks in the country failed! So when we talk of economic problems...and another "depression"... we don't have to look too far to see were not that bad off today in comparison. Perspective. While we're on the topic of perspective did you know that 2.7 billion people in our world today live on less than $2 a day! That's almost half the world's population living on less than $730 a year...people on unemployment here make more than that in a month! These people in third world countries live lives threatened by a lack of enough calories in their food to be healthy... a lack of clean water to drink without getting life threatening parasites...they lack shelter to protect them...they lack proper clothing to guard them from the elements...they don't even have simple health care to protect them from preventable disease...they don't have learning institutions like schools so they are illiterate...and their life expectancy is a fraction of ours due to these factors and more. Perspective. In the United States 46% of those in "poverty" own their own homes! Their homes "average" just over 1,000 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 1 and a half baths, with a garage. For perspective consider that people in third world countries dream of living in something like our garages! Even our homeless have clean water easily available. Even our homeless have free food, clothes, shelter and medical basics available in the United States. Third World people would see our "homeless" as wealthy people...consider that this Thanksgiving. Most Americans eat more calories in a day, than a person in a third world country may eat in a week. In our country we walk by pennies, as worthless, every day. In many other countries, they'd be thanking God for every one they found! You see perspective gives you a greater sense of gratitude. When you realize the blessings you have...rather than the "wants" you do NOT have...a thankful heart grows within us. In spite of what you may not "have"...you are far more fortunate than most of the world. At ECHO we want to be thankful for what we do have...for the blessing of God's provisions...and be ever mindful of the needs around us...here in Eugene & Springfield and the massive needs around the world. Jesus told us the poor would always be with us...but He constantly reminded us to serve the poor...the orphans...and the widows. It was a constant theme of Jesus. I think He emphasized it, not only because these are practical areas to serve those ever present needs in others...but also by constantly reminding us of what we do have, as we serve those without. May our Thanksgiving truly be a time when our grateful hearts cause us to thank God many times over for all He has done for you...and me! And may it motivate us to reach out a hand of love & care, to those with less. With the proper perspective, I think we can.be God's!
Brian O
Lead Pastor dude, ECHO
