Reflections on Louie & Prosperity

Louie, our Thursday afternoon kitten
I am prosperous. Let's face it. I have enough food during a meal to generate left overs for the refrigerator or to collect scraps for trash cans. I own a home and a car. I reside in a city with low crime where many individuals leave their doors unlocked. I live in a neighbourhood where new moms can afford to shop at Baby Gap and possess the technology to connect via Facebook. I have a faithful husband who has a fantastic job that enables me, with some sacrifices (albeit extremely minor according to third world standards), to stay at home with our children.

But I catch myself complaining about the lack of frivolity in my life. It is ridiculous, really.

Which brings me to this question: "What is our responsibility to suffering humanity as prosperous first world Christians?" I've been pondering this in light of being so blessed. And my interaction with Louie, our Thursday afternoon kitten.

Last Thursday, my kids and I made a trip to our local park. There we ran into a beautiful, playful kitten who had followed a couple of kids and their grandpa to the playground. "This isn't our cat," the grandpa was sure to inform me. In the course of the morning, the kitten decided to adopt us as his family. He followed us from the play structure to a stretch of green grass where my daughter and I ran races while my son explored under a basketball hoop. And then the kitten accompanied our stroller all-the-way-home. "Great, now I'm responsible for this stray, tag-less cat!" I found myself muttering.

After a few phone calls, I realized that Louie, a name selected by my daughter, was ours for the afternoon. While my kids had quiet time, I fed our guest. The menu: tuna fish and water. Louie ate the meal with great pleasure and then settled down on our deck furniture for a much needed nap. And there he stayed until I gently but firmly placed him in a cardboard box and transported him to the local SPCA. Thank the Lord that I'm not a cat lover, because if I was, I would have kept Louie. But I did feel a slight twinge of sadness when I drove away from the SPCA. "What a friendly kitten," I mused.

Back to my question: "What is our responsibility to suffering humanity as prosperous first world Christians?" Louie reminded me that there are times when God brings His needy creatures to our mind or to our doorsteps for our consideration. Will we help? Will we provided from our prosperity? Will we sacrifice our pleasures for another soul's desperate need?

Jesus reminds us of these questions when he stated, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me," (Matthew 25:40). And he warns, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked," (Luke 12:48). Pretty serious stuff, isn't it?

Lately, I've been mentally budgeting in advance of my customary "end of the month" money analysis. Some out-of-the-ordinary expenses are arising: carpet cleaning; car repairs; and travelling expenses for reunions and retreats (among other things). And I'm a bit stressed. All of these expenses are legitimate. But what if I was pressed and anxious to budget for the needy? What would that look like beyond my regular church offering, my missionary support, and my periodic donations to humanitarian causes?

Thus I ask you, my fellow first world prosperous Christian: "What are you doing for the least of these brothers and sisters?" I could use some inspiration. After all, much more will be asked of us. Are we ready?

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