What started as a domestic demonstration has gone global. Those who have eyes to see and ears to hear should not miss the irony. It is almost comical. Let me explain.
One of the reasons I love reading the Bible is because it is chock full of ironies. Just one example from the Old Testament book of Esther. So here is Hamon who is preparing a gallows to hang his mortal enemy Mordacai. Hamon’s hatred for Mordacai runs deep, real deep. So deep that seeing Mordacai suffer and die will not suffice, he wants to see anyone and everyone who is related to Mordacai suffer and die. That my friends is some serious hate. Maybe you know someone who hates that much, maybe you have hated someone that much. If you have then you can identify with Hamon’s thirst for blood. And since Hamon was in a position to wield the power to make it happen, he devises an incredibly maniacal plot to kill Mordacai and exterminate his people all the while making out like a national hero. As the story unfolds things seem to be going according to plan but then in a sudden turn of unexpected events things get bad for Hamon in a hurry. Like a rabid pitbull who has turned on his owner, so Hamon’s plan turns and bites him in the rear. Long story short Mordacai (the good guy) comes out on top and his people (the Jews) are saved. Hamon is exposed for the scoundrel he is and in the end is hung on the very gallows he built for Mordacai. My favorite part of the whole story is the moment of truth. The point where Hamon comes to realize his plan is like a house of cards and his ruin is inevitable. It is when Esther the beloved Queen (who unknown to them happens to be Mordacai’s cousin) reveals her identity and outs her enemy! Hamon has infuriated the King, threatened and assaulted the Queen and made a complete donkey of himself. What I would give to have been able to witness first hand the silly look on his face when glory turned to horror in that moment. Priceless. That’s the power of irony.
So in a show of solidarity towards the 99% of their American brethren, the world has joined the Occupy Wallstreet movement. From Madrid, to Rome, to Hong Kong, to San Jose, people from all cultures and countries have gathered to show they are sick and tired of the fact that the concentration of wealth lay in the hands of a select few. I wonder when people are going to realize the incredible irony of the whole thing.
Here are some hard facts. There are approximately 6.6 billion people in the world today and close to half of that live on less than $2 a day. There are just over 300 million living in the U.S. (less than 6% of the world’s population), yet Americans control half the world’s wealth (yes that is a bit better than 1% controlling 43% but not by much!). If you make $10,000 a year you are in the top 84% in terms of wealth in the world. If your household earns $50,000 a year, you are in the top 99%. In other words if you are reading this you are likely not among the 99%. You are among or you are closer than you think to being in the 1%.
Now I realize that most of those who are actually demonstrating in America are probably unemployed. And I realize that the issues and reasons for the demonstrations cannot and should not be reduced to a single economic position. But to me the irony seems pretty blatant. I know that there will not actually be a Hamonish moment of truth where people in the world will be like “hey wait a second!” or when the people camped out on Wallstreet will realize they are attacking a straw man. But the anger directed at the 1% does seem a bit hypocritical.
Here’s my point. Yes there was a spiritual point for all this. Even if you are in the top 1% of the world, you probably do not feel like it. You could always use a little more, you cannot help but feel like there is never enough. Half the world, 3 billion people live on less than $2 a day. You have enough. But the problem is you just don’t feel like it. I am not trying to make you feel bad or guilty or have some sort of charitable agenda behind all this. Just saying.
If you are a Christian, you came to trust Christ as your Lord and Savior. What this means is that you came to realize the extent of your moral, emotional, relational and spiritual debt to God. You were totally bankrupt; and without hope. But God did not leave you in debt. He sent his Son to get you out of debt and into great wealth. So you believed in faith that He would do this, that He did this. Now the Bible says everything He has is yours! (Matt 15:31; Rom 8:32; 1 Peter 1:3-4)
Nothing you do can get you more (there is nothing more to get), and nothing you fail to do will give you less. No one can take it away and nothing anyone could ever do to you will diminish its value. It is untouchable. You have God. And so you have enough. Enough to share. Enough to give away. Enough to overlook the offense. Enough to get over the hurt. Enough to help others when they are hurt. Enough to get over ourselves and turn our gaze to a harassed and helpless world.
But we don’t. We don’t because we just don’t feel like we have enough.
Christian you have enough. Stop living like an orphan and acting like a beggar. You are the 1%!!!
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