What Is Enough?

I've been reading this book called More or Less: Choosing a Lifestyle of Excessive Generosity by Jeff Shinabarger. At the beginning of the year my boss brought five books to the dorm staff and gave us each the chance to pick which one we wanted to read, and this is the book I chose. From the moment he read us the title I wanted this book. Alex Aguas, my pastor and friend in the US, has often talked about having a theology of excess rather than one of scarcity, so I was hopeful that this book would take me on a deep theological journey into this concept. That is not what this book did. 

Shinabarger starts his book with this simple question: what is enough? Throughout the book he continually challenges the reader to ask that question of themselves. He talks about how being really and truly friends with a homeless man changed his life. It messed him up. It made him think differently about his possessions and showed him his excess. He still has excess, but he and his wife are on a journey to excessive generosity and I want to join them.

I don't actually agree with all of his points in this book. I wish it was a bit deeper theologically. I think he believes a bit too much in giving hand outs to those with less possessions, rather than in linking hands and walking with them (though he does that too!). I believe in reaching hands across and not down or up, but I also think he is doing more good with his actions than I am with my inactive ideas. I am challenged by this book. 

If you have read my last few posts or know me, then you know I've been thinking a lot about injustice lately. I believe that excess is unjust. I am comfortable in my excess- I am rich. But I don't want to be comfortable with my excess. I want it to sit uncomfortably and I want to be excessively generous. I don't want to be irresponsible. God has gifted me with a job where I have excess, and I believe that I should be saving for a day when I can no longer work. I believe in living within my means. Maybe some day I will not make enough to do this, but for now I have the opportunity to give financially rather than the necessity to receive. I also don't want to be irresponsible in the way that I am generous. Anything I give to or any way I show generosity needs to be ethical and well-informed. I do not want to perpetuate injustice on this earth. 

One way that Jeff challenges his readers and friends is to conduct experiments about excess. It's been hard for me to think of an experiment to conduct. It should be something that puts me in solidarity with people who have less excess than I do, something that educates me, something that educates me, something that changes the way I think about my own excess and generosity. 

It's been difficult for me to settle on something, but I think I finally have and I want to make it public so that I'm accountable and others can join me if they want to. 

So my experiment is this: I will not eat any sort of meat for 40 days. Meat is an example of my excess of food. Meat is not a bad thing, but I want to be in solidarity with those who cannot afford it. At the same time I will commit to using the meat currently in my house to feed others generously. I will also research more about the issue of hunger, and will find a way to be excessively generous with the money I save by not eating meat for 40 days. I commit to completing this experiment, even when it is uncomfortable or I have to awkwardly explain it to others. I will take those opportunities to explain my experiment to others without expectation or judgment of them. 

My experiment will last until October 18. Join me if you would like, or maybe just ask me about my journey along the way. My prayer is that God would use this experience to change my paradigm of excess and help me to live with excessive generosity. 

Beth out.