“We have a refrigerator,
a microwave,
a WASHING MACHINE,
a western toilet,
And two bedrooms for the five us us,
We are living the high life, like world race royalty here!” Were the words I spoke to my mentor last week as I was talking about our living situation for the month. As we continued to talk I also realized other things that I didn’t originally mention that are no longer expected in our living situations each month;
-Hot water from a shower head, with good pressure
-clean water from a tap (the tank for treated water is refilled twice a week,it is stored on the porch and is connected to a tap in the kitchen—this is only used for drinking water)
-beds that are elevated off the ground
-fans in our bedroom
-toilet paper—and we can flush it
-electrical outlets in our bedroom
-closets/shelves for storing our clothing
-a dining room table
-comfortable couches
While many of the things on the list above have been where I’ve lived on the race, this is the first place we’ve had all of those in one living situation. We really are blessed here. But I bring it up because as my mentor pointed out, none of those items I would have listed as things I was grateful for at home. And I had ALL of them and so much more. I have always had all of them. While I know that there certainly are a lot of people in the US that don’t have some or any of these things, by in large most of them are available in even the most modest of living situations.
It’s crazy to think that just a year ago life looked so different and now I walk into a living situation each month expecting very little in the way of comforts. I also walk in knowing that I don’t need those things to live and thrive in what the lord has called me to do. It’s an interesting shift in perspective. Then I consider that most of the homes we’ve been in this month have even less. Some living in single rooms with one bed for a family of four. Yet, it’s neat and tidy and suits all of their needs. (It also makes me think how feasible living in a tiny home or camper for the rest of my life really is…Uncle Rusty if you want to start searching Craigslist for one of these options when I get home feel free…)
No matter what my living situation looks like in the future these past 7 months have forever changed my perspective. They’ve proven how incredibly rich we Americans are in terms of the world—just in case I had any doubt before. They’ve proven that a simple life is often better. And that I don’t need as much as I think to be happy and healthy and serving God. I pray that I never forget this, that I remember when I open my refrigerator, or turn on ANY tap in my house that I can drink from. I pray that in these reminders I also remember that with this wealth and opportunity that is so often taken for granted that I don’t forget how to live generously, to trust that the Lord will provide all I need and not hold on too tightly when he asks me to give away.
The story of the rich man in Matthew has been on my mind in relation to this, read Jesus’ words of warning, but don’t miss the hope in the last verse.
“And Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.’ When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, ‘Who then can be saved?’ But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’”
Matthew19:23-26 ESV
