I heard a story once about a man looking at a newly constructed building and asking the question, "why do so few get blessed with so much?" I am not sure how true the story is, but either way the question points out the vast economic blessings that are seen all around the world. Every day I get done with work and I drive roughly 5 miles in less than 20 minutes to get home, to a heated and cooled home, where there is plenty of food to eat, running water, and electricity. As I take a shower and get cleaned up I sometimes think about people half across the world who don't even get fresh water every day, yet alone enough to take a 10-15 minute shower. I wonder what those people would think if they spent a few days in my home. My apartment isn't very big, some 1200 square feet. But to some people that is a mansion.
Now, I don't want to come off as someone who finishes half of my posts as #firstworldproblems, because while I may live in a first world country and have all of these things placed before me, I still do have problems and struggles. We often talk about blessings and forget to talk about the responsibilities that come with them. I have the opportunity to move about the country and earn an income, provide food and shelter for my family, in some what of an easy environment but I also have the responsibility to try and better other peoples lives.
I read an article the other day about a couple that lives in Dallas, they make roughly 150,000 dollars a year between both of their income, of which they try and save about 75% or more. They try and live off around 30,000 of that. People asked them why they were trying to save so much and not enjoy it more, and they said, we don't know what we have ahead of us and all of the philanthropy work and other chances to serve out. They have been richly blessed, and yes they do enjoy it a little (very little to be honest) they really are taking the blessings they have and trying to make sure they are living up to their responsibility.
I often think about my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and what it means for me. I know a lot of people in this world haven't had the chance to learn about Christ, or even God for that matter, but that doesn't mean that I deny myself of that right to, instead, I try and recognize the blessing that it is and fulfill the responsibility to share it with as many people as I can. No, it is not exactly the easiest thing to do, and not everyone wants it, but we still must try to help create those opportunities for other people to receive the gospel.
Now, I don't want to come off as someone who finishes half of my posts as #firstworldproblems, because while I may live in a first world country and have all of these things placed before me, I still do have problems and struggles. We often talk about blessings and forget to talk about the responsibilities that come with them. I have the opportunity to move about the country and earn an income, provide food and shelter for my family, in some what of an easy environment but I also have the responsibility to try and better other peoples lives.
I read an article the other day about a couple that lives in Dallas, they make roughly 150,000 dollars a year between both of their income, of which they try and save about 75% or more. They try and live off around 30,000 of that. People asked them why they were trying to save so much and not enjoy it more, and they said, we don't know what we have ahead of us and all of the philanthropy work and other chances to serve out. They have been richly blessed, and yes they do enjoy it a little (very little to be honest) they really are taking the blessings they have and trying to make sure they are living up to their responsibility.
I often think about my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and what it means for me. I know a lot of people in this world haven't had the chance to learn about Christ, or even God for that matter, but that doesn't mean that I deny myself of that right to, instead, I try and recognize the blessing that it is and fulfill the responsibility to share it with as many people as I can. No, it is not exactly the easiest thing to do, and not everyone wants it, but we still must try to help create those opportunities for other people to receive the gospel.
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