Giving Less and Charging More

Amos 8:4-8  Listen to me, you who walk on helpless people, you who are trying to destroy the poor people of the country, saying, "When will the New Moon festival be over so we can sell grain?  When will the Sabbath be over so we can bring out wheat to sell?  We can charge them more and give them less, and we can change the scales to cheat the people.  We will buy poor people for silver, and needy people for the price of a pair of sandals.  We will even sell the wheat that was swept up from the floor."  The Lord has sworn by his name, "I will never forget everything that these people did."

The Past:  This passage reminds me of myself in two ways.  The first being the poor person.  When I needed something growing up, I often felt like I was paying more than enough for what I needed.  Even my so called friends would charge me for a ride home from school or to get somewhere.  Being the youngest person in my family, I always had the hand me downs.  I would get upset when my brother would get something new and I had to take his.  It was rare for me to get a "brand new" anything if I just wanted it.  Sure, come Christmas and my birthday I would get new things, but mostly only then.  But, growing up, I also became the person who walked on the poor.  In college at OSU, I often looked down upon those who could not afford books or even a small meal because they used all the money on their meal card.  I felt as if they deserved it.  Maybe because it was the things I saw growing up.  If you didn't save your money, you didn't deserve it.
I am glad I have come to know God because I can see now that we are all poor. 

The Present: This morning I went to go see Disney's Toy Story 3 on Ice with my wife and son.  Boy, did I feel poor.  T-shirts for $30.00.  Programs for $15.00.  Even a Buzz Lightyear cup was $18.00!  Were we being charged more yet getting less?  Is this what is happening today?  With gas ballooning towards $4.00 a gallon and the price of food going up as well, when will everyone be poor?  Granted, my wife and I get along fine, but when will that come to an end?  When will need to take up 3-4 jobs to get along?  Let me clarify, not to keep up with the Jones, but to just make it - to keep our kids fed and sheltered. 
Going in mission trips every summer and helping those in need opens my eyes to see how much I really have.  And, how much I have to give.  I have seen people live in houses that have no floor, no plumbing, and no heat.  They struggle to just put food on the table.  Many are disabled and cannot work while others work multiple jobs.  But through it all, they have each other.  And, they have God. 
I know of a company that gave out Christmas bonuses year after year.  But, this year they failed to do so.  Many of the employees were disappointed.  They company said it was due to the economy.  Is that true?  They made millions of dollars in profit.  Are they the ones giving their employees less and charging more?  It would be nice to see every large corporation CEO and Executive come down and go on one of my mission trips to see how sometimes giving less and charging more affects people.  Maybe, if they had the mindset of God, things would be better.  They could give more, and charge less.  If you are a CEO or an Executive, maybe you can prayerfully consider the above passage.  Or, if you are just like me, how even with what we have, we can still learn not to walk over those with less than us.

My Goals:  Well, I walked last night and did a few weights.  Tonight I have to run again and I'll play outside in the snow with kids (if it's not too cold and windy).

Dear Lord, Please allow me to be rich in your eyes by helping those who are "poor".  May I always give more and charge less.  Amen.