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[[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/de/doku.php/jn_de_2016_03_09|Deutsche Version]] [[Start|| Wiki Start]]
[[topics_collection_viii|| Topics Collection viii ]]
======Enough for all? ...======
Wednesday, March 9, 2016. Is there enough for all on this planet? Do we have
enough food, enough shelter, enough clothing, enough work? Do we have enough
space? It is an important and basic question. And as Christians we should be
concerned. We should think about it and work towards it. And we should not
stay with the physical things, but also ask: is there enough love, enough
spirit, enough faith for everyone? Enough future? Enough appreciation? Enough
perspective?
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**One layer deeper in the problem ...**
There are delusive answers to the question. You might just count for example
the amount of food on the planet, divide it by the number of people and then
conclude that there is enough if we share equally. You might take the amount
of money, divide it by 9 Billion people and come to the conclusion that all
problems would be solved when we just share equally.
But that is, sorry about being very straight, complete nonsense.
There is no process of sharing equally, and the real problems have not
been touched when you start with this type of unrealistic reasoning. You would
make a point if you could describe a process of sharing things equally. But
it is even difficult to give food to the people who have no food without interfering
with local powers and structures. It is today very difficult to give in a way
which does not deepen the problems! We interfere with both political and
economic structures and processes - and it is the political and economic structures
and processes which we need to tackle to make progress with food and money!
But political processes are part of social and historical developments. We have
very different people, social experiences, skills, background, family structures
and faith structures on this planet. The role of men and women, the role of
hierarchies and age, the role of work and power is different, and so are the
results of the social environment and the social and economic processes in each
country and region on this planet. There is a lot to do here! And the real problem
is to interact with society locally as well as globally!
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**There is hope ...**
We may be discouraged by the mere size of the problem to feed the world. We may
be discouraged by the mere size of the problem to make progress with getting all
humans into a proper environment, where they can pursue their happyness, where they
can do their work, evolve their creativity, succeed with their job, their family,
their leisure, their personal goals. For me, one story which is about not having
enough is highly encouraging. Here, Jesus is faced with the same problem, and
he solves it in a wonderful way. Have a read intnto John 6:
7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii1 worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” 15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
There is hope. The hope comes from God himself, from Christ Jesus.
It is in faith, but also in
justice, in truth, in a humble spirit. People of faith will develop hope, and
where Christian faith gains influence in the hearts of many, there will also
be mercy and activity towards a just and balanced social order. Wealth will help
to develop the world, it will do good, not bad, it will be used to let societies
prosper.
(RWEP)
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