Mama Byrd

I’ve been reading through the book of Amos in my Community Bible Study (CBS).  This week, I was convicted by Amos 4, in which the prophet speaks to the wealthy women of Israel (whom he calls “the cows of Bashan”).  Amos chastizes the women for their opulence and says that they “oppress the poor and crush the needy” so that they may have more.

My CBS leader reminded us that, though we may not consider ourselves wealthy or indulgent like the cows of Bashan, we are certainly wealthy by worldwide standards.  The fact that I have central heat and air, two cars in my garage, and a refrigerator full of food makes me wealthier than most of the rest of the world.  Am I ignorant of the needs of others, even going so far as to withhold from giving to others so that I can buy something for myself?

I’ve never been the kind of girl that loves to shop or spend a lot of money.  I’ve always considered myself to be pretty frugal, but there is one thing that I find myself wasting money on more than anything else– eating out!  I have spent more money on Chili’s, McDonald’s, and Chick-fil-A than I have spent on tithing or charitable contributions in the past year…a LOT more!  That’s kind of embarassing.  I am about 20 pounds overweight, and I am spending money on food that makes me fatter instead of giving it to hungry people.  I really should be ashamed.  It’s a wonder God doesn’t point me out and call me a cow.

I read recently about another blogger who believes that instead of just giving something up for Lent, it is better to sacrifice something so that you can concentrate on something else that God wants you to do.  I think God would be honored if I sacrificed spending money on myself so that I could give to others.

Filed under: Bible, giving, wealth on March 7th, 2010