Blessed to be a blessing...

Back in the old days my friends and I spoke of poverty and world hunger and how we are so rich compared to most of the world. 

We spoke of feeling almost guilty about having so much when others had so little. 

We found ourselves wondering if it was selfish to spend money on ourselves or if we should find ways to give it all away. 

(Well, maybe we didn't go that far!)

But we did talk about whether it was extravagant to spend money for a gallon of paint for our living room - in light of starving children in Africa.

I suppose we each came up with our own conclusions.

And I suppose we have changed those ideas through the years.

I also remember asking myself the question "Why are we so blessed?" Why in the world were we born in a land of plenty while others seldom have enough? I didn't know how to make sense of questions like that so I chose to change the nuance of the question. Instead of looking for a “reason" for being so blessed, I began to wonder if I could find some “purpose" in it. 

Is there something I can do with my blessings? 

My bounty? 

Something I could/should do with my plenty?

Well, certainly there is. With great privilege comes great responsibility.

Over the years I gradually developed a philosophy and a mantra, I guess. I came to believe that we are “blessed to be a blessing” and I even preached sermons around that theme.

 I haven't preached any sermons for a long time - well, at least not from a pulpit. But I do still believe that there is value in that little mantra. I still think that part of my grateful response to being blessed can and perhaps should be to share that blessing with others. 

There are a variety of ways to do that - some obvious and others more subtle.  It can be tricky to discover the best ways - which might mean the safest or the most compassionate - requiring sensitivity and wisdom. But I hope I keep trying.