Balancing Act

2 Corinthians 8:7-15

This scripture reminds me of the scripture in Acts 4:32-35 I called the Commonwealth scripture a few weeks ago. The one where everyone puts all their resources together and each person takes only what he or she needs.  This time, Paul is telling the people of Corinth that he wants them to excel, but not at anyone else's expense.  He wants people to be eager to serve the Lord, but balanced in how they live life day to day.  Don't create an unbalanced system where one person has much while another suffers with little.

It is hard not to look at this in economic terms. I mean, when I read this, I immediately think, "Wow, I wish the politicians and the bankers felt this way."  I would love to hear the rhetoric from Washington and Wall Street include the phrase "it is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need, so that their abundancy may be for your need."

But just because our economic structure does not lend itself to that, it doesn't mean that we can't be a family of God who lends itself to such a philosophy.

If we are to create a community that promotes a fair balance, then we are making sure that our abundance is available in circumstances where someone else has a need.  In building terms, it's why it might be great if our building could be more of a community center, since we lack one in the Gunbarrel area.

Here's a thought.  List all the categories of your life in which you have abundance.  Now, list out beside of that a situation where someone else doesn't have such abundance.  The link between those two is the work you must do to create that fair balance Paul speaks of. After you do that exercise for yourself, try doing it for NUMC.  It might be a good first step into what we need to do to move into our vision of embracing the community and sharing ourselves with others.

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