A question of fair balance

"...it is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance.  As it is written, 'The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little.""

2 Corinthians 8: 13b-15 

These lines struck me as they were read in our extremely warm church this morning, and they must have struck my husband too. Or maybe it was the combination of the sweat beading on our faces as we helped lead the music, and the words of Whatsoever You Do sung for the communion procession. Whatever it was, when we came out of into the 32 C (90 F)sunshine afterward, Lee turned the song's words into action. It was a simple thing, really. I'm not going to tell you what we did, but if you know the words of the first verse, you might be able to guess. I don't know how many times we've sung that song together, but today was the first time it moved us to action. Frankly, it took way too long.

So many of us in North America have so much that we can share with those who have so little. Jesus is always calling for justice. What would happen in our world if, every time we heard his words exhorting us to do something for our less fortunate brothers and sisters, we actually did it instead of letting those words wash over us like a too-sweet Sunday school lesson? 

The New Testament isn't a fairy tale storybook about one good man, it's a challenge to all God's children to do as Jesus did. It's never too late to preach Jesus' message with our lives, which is what we're supposed to do. We've listened for a long time, and this morning, we went out and made a small contribution towards a fair balance. 

How has the Gospel moved you to action?