I want to throw out a challenge to you but let me tell you why first. I have been thinking about life and what's important to me. I have been thinking about everything; my wife, kids, bible study, work, food, time, money, friends, prayer, cleaning, free time, hobbies and more. I started to think about all of these and how I approach them in my life. Am I more concerned about games and free time than my family? A lot of times I would say yes. Am I selfish? Yes. Am I spoiled? Yes. Am I rich? Yes. Starting next Monday I am attempting to strip away many things that are not as important to focus on the things that are for one week. I hope the results will make me more grateful for what I have.
One of the things that I am doing and that I would like to challenge you to is is I am going to try to eat off $2 a day. Thats kind of crazy when you think about it. But then again, think of the rest of the world; $2 a day is what they make to cover everything. You up for the challenge? Let me know if you are by leaving a comment below. Click "post a comment". For me it will be tough, but the goal is that I need to be thankful for what I have.
By the way, I am asking Faith if we can have our whole family eat off of $2 a day. I will let you know what she says. Leave a comment below so we can see how many people are up for the challenge. Let's do it.
12 comments:
This is not the first time I have heard this information but it is the first time I am going to take action. I am in! Not just in...not just going to try...I am going to do it...this is going to be very difficult come this weekend considering that this maybe the last weekend I have off to take Elizabeth "out" for dinner for like a month or more but you know...if I think about it long enough something will come up next week and the week after so let's get this thing started! Maybe I can even get her on board!?! I not only accept your challenge but I will personally try to beat it. I will attempt to eat for even less than 2 dollars a day. I will not cheat and use free food vouchers either. I fasted a few months back and it really gave me a deeper appreciation for my trust in God. It is incredible to think just how narrow the path truly is that Jesus walked. I accept your challenge...this challenge...not to be like Jesus or for an uplifting few days but to put into practice what just might could be considered the most difficult thing to do but to trust God. Being deprived of your normal nutritional value will change your attitude, which affects your personality, etc. TRUST...this is going to be a spiritual growth opportunity from the inside out. I will even attempt to keep a up with how my day goes by tracking my actions, feelings, and behaviors...this should be interesting...good luck to you!
Sweet Chad. This is it. I think it will be very sobering for us. I think two main things to remember are that 1. Over half of the world lives off of two dollars a day. 2. The other thing is to think of Christ and our joy in Him when we want what we cant have. I am starting on Monday and going through Friday. Good luck and God bless bro.
Justin this is one way to look at this situation. It doesn't necessarily make sense to me though. It is such a hard truth to comprehend and digest. I see where you are going with the spiritual growth aspect but the fact that half the people in the world live on less than $2 per day should inspire us to give and help not to "lower ourselves" to "their" level. "Their" as in other. It seems like another way for people to sit on their butts and do (basically) nothing. This is not an attack on you at all. I feel really strongly about this subject and I feel guilty about not doing enough. I know you and your church do a lot for the community and that is great.
wittyphoto is megan btw. Also, I hope my post wasn't offensive. If it works for you, then go for it.
wittyphoto, I appreciate your comment and am right there with you in your statement to give more. However, I also think that empathizing with those to whom we give can be very powerful in our lives, to help us understand their predicament more fully, to give out of desire and not obligation or even principle.
Both ideas are good- put yourself in the shoes of others AND give.
That said...ouch. Is it even possible to live off $2 a day? Even I take food made from home, I am sure the ingredients alone cost more than $2 a day. If we stick to $2 a day I think we will all be very hungry every day this week.
I'm willing to try it.
I am not trying to be argumentative but wanted to clarify a couple of points. You can have empathy for people without doing this experiment. Mainly because it does not really put you in their shoes. The whole time you deprive yourselves of food you are doing so in the comfort of your own air conditioned/heated home feet away from a kitchen with food and a bank account (or wallet) with money available to purchase a meal if you decide you are too hungry. The people suffering in the world from hunger don't want us to pretend to be like them so we can feel bad and hopefully work towards helping them. They would not be impressed by our week of eating less.
I appreciate the idea of raising awareness of the problem of hunger in our world and getting it talked about. As for me I do give out of desire to help, not principle or obligation.
The focus on raising our understanding of the hungry by staying in our homes pretending to be poor I would think is less successful at that goal than actually interacting with people.
Again, I am not pretending to know what you do in the way of helping others but this is just something I feel passionately about and I think that if we redirected some of the misguided attempts at help something incredible could happen.
I'll give it a try.. ramen noodles are going to have some good sales this week :)
Thanks for all of the comments so far.
Megan, I appreciate where you are coming from and do not take offense to your comments. I also see a problem with us as Americans "humbling" ourselves to pretend that we are like them, but that is not the goal of this experiment. The goal is that I would be more focused on the things that matter in my life. By taking a food and limiting 15 meals Monday -Friday to just $10, it makes me more thankful for what I have and more aware of how I spend my money.
A long term goal of projects like this, is that my family and and I would give away most of the money we make one day to help people. A dream for me is to give half of our income away. With that in mind, the less we spend on food, the more we can save and even spend on things that matter and are important.
Check this out: I dream that Awaken will grow and have so many people giving that one day we will have an $80,000 a month budget and $40,000 will be given away. That means a lot of families in Chattanooga are helped and a lot of people here and other countries will have water and be fed. I am pumped to see that happening one day. Right now we are right around giving $400-$600 a month to help people.
So, the goal of small things like this $2 a day, turn into goals like giving away thousands a month to help people. In no way am I trying to relate to them, but to get a tiny glimpse of what its like and to be more thankful to God and for my family. Another goal that I have in the future is to take a few guys and live downtown for a night or two. After that, help people get jobs and a place to live. It will be tough work, but thats what it takes sometimes. Let me know what you think Megan. Great conversation, thanks for your thoughts, makes me think deeper.
Cool. I do see your point. When I thought you were trying to "walk a mile in their shoes", I didn't get it but using it as a way to make yourself focus on important things is good and makes more sense. I just know that I read, watched and heard about the atrocities some people lived through and it wasn't until I went and saw it with my own eyes, that I understood (a little more anyway).
Also, its refreshing that you're a person that can discuss these types of things without turning it into an argument.
I agree. I think it is healthy for Christians to talk about these things and more importantly, act on them.
I grew up dirt poor... eating pot pies and macaroni... many many nights... been there... done that... Good thing to experience for those of you that have not had to already. You do not need to leave this country and I bet there are plenty of folks in Tennessee that are living on 2 dollars a day. Therefore the idea of us all giving to our local folks in need is very refreshing indeed and something I plan on helping with starting the month of December.
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