November 30th, 2006

How Rich are You?

We’ve all heard the phrase that the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer [2]. Where do you stand?

An interactive media company has crunched some data from the World Bank to take a stab at guessing where you stand (economically speaking) in relation to the rest of the world.

I’m the 57,942,091 richest person on earth!

Discover how rich you are! >>

After making an assessment of my economic position in the world, the site also shared the following information:

$8 could buy you 15 organic apples OR 25 fruit trees for farmers in Honduras to grow and sell fruit at their local market.

$30 could buy you an ER DVD Boxset OR a First Aid kit for a village in Haiti.

$73 could buy you a new mobile phone OR a new mobile health clinic to care for AIDS orphans in Uganda.

$2400 could buy you a second generation High Definition TV OR schooling for an entire generation of school children in an Angolan village.

We must remember that worldly wealth, while a necessary resource, is also a stewardship. Andrew Carnegie has said:

This, then, is held to be the duty of the man of wealth: First, to set an example of modesty, unostentatious living, shunning display or extravagance; to provide moderately for the legitimate wants of those dependent upon him; and after doing so to consider all surplus revenues which come to him simply as trust funds, which he is called upon to administer, and strictly bound as a matter of duty to administer in the manner which, in his judgment, is best calculated to produce the most beneficial results for the community—the man of wealth thus becoming the mere trustee and agent for his poorer brethren, bringing to their service his superior wisdom, experience, and ability to administer, doing for them better than they would or could do for themselves.

I propose, then, that we are only rich when we are richly blessing others. What we perceive as wealth is a blessing from God. We are stewards over the wealth we’ve been given, and are held responsible for what we do with it. How rich are you? Consider how much you share your wealth with those who are less fortunate—therein lies the answer.

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  1. How Rich are You? « Ruminating Minutia - December 2, 2006

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