Privilege and Perspective
We hear a lot about privilege these days, but in our entitled age, I prefer to look at this topic through a different lens. I like to think about the privilege we have to serve.
America is bloated with wealth, but even the most basic of life’s necessities, food and shelter, remain a dream for many within our borders. We enjoyed the opportunity to visit with dear friends last night who serve as missionaries in Africa. Like much of the world, the most basic of their needs are met in the most basic of ways. Yet the mindset is far different. Sharing and caring are linked with survival…but not so here. Why is that? Why, when we have so much, do we find such inequity?
I think the issue is one of visibility. There have always been poor people, but we tend to live in neighborhoods where we don’t see them. There have always been hungry people, but we eat at restaurants where we don’t see them. There have always been homeless people, but rather than dealing with their needs, we craft zoning laws to keep them out.
Yet if we tweak the lenses through which we view the world, another reality pops into view. When we are privileged to serve, we are blessed with joy. Through the simple acts of cooking a meal, cleaning a kitchen or sharing compassion with another, our souls are enriched in ways no bank account can measure. It is indeed a pleasure and a privilege to serve another.
The issues driving this problem are multi-faceted and complex. Those who fall through the cracks are often unemployable. They often lack the necessary first and last month’s rent to move into apartments or houses. Many suffer from chronic illnesses. Are we going to solve those issues with one short meeting or one legislative fix? Of course not.
Yet that doesn’t mean we ignore the needs surrounding us. By choosing to see the needs of others, to reach out with a helping hand, we become a small part of the solution. In joining hands, we make our corner of the world a better place, a happier place. For us, it is a privilege to serve. We hope you’ll choose to join us!
Saralee Rhoads