So Privileged
My heart goes out to so many in this world who have lost their homes, their security, their families, and their peace. It makes me even more grateful to live in America where we are so privileged while in other areas of the world, so many are under-privileged. Lord, please come to their aid. Lord, please stir our hearts to do what we can, when we can.
I am very aware of God’s blessings in my life. I grew up in a God-fearing, God-loving family. We weren’t wealthy by any means. My daddy was very sick with no pension. My mama had to work so long and hard to make ends meet. Yet, I never realized how little we had. I felt privileged because I wore beautiful clothes and never missed a meal. And to this day, I don’t take what I have for granted.
PRIVILEGED means having special rights, advantages, favored, blessed. But this week, I am not in America. We are in Mexico and in a very privileged location. The workers here would tell you how privileged they feel to work here. And, if that’s not enough, the black birds who hang out in various outdoor restaurants realize they are extremely privileged, too.
This photo speaks for itself. We chose outdoor breakfast dining. We watched this black bird from its perch on the table umbrella. He kept his eye on tables when guests left it. The waiters were quick to clear the tables of food, but this bird zoomed into the opened sugar dish. He grabbed sugar packets into his mouth, tore open the package and consumed that sugar in lightning speed.
As I thought about the birds, I considered the exquisite, yet simple lifestyle they have. They don’t have to dig for worms or look far for food. They eat from tables that are readily accessible.
I thought about birds in other countries — where there is abounding poverty, where there is little food to be found. Yet, those birds stay with their “status quo”, instead of venturing over to a place of blessings and abundance. They have settled for their “lot in life”.
Isn’t that like many of us who say: “I guess that’s the best I can do…. or the best that I can get”? As children of God, there’s a place of privilege and abundance for us, if we’ll step out in faith and go for the opportunities and blessings that are just waiting for us.
When we receive Christ by faith, we have the privilege of becoming His children. We are adopted into His family. “But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)
In Matthew 6, Jesus put it this way “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”
Indeed, we are privileged God’s children. He offers us so many blessings daily, but maybe it’s a matter of being present to recognize them.
I was quick to photograph those black birds’ and their privileges. What if we started recognizing our privileges daily as children of God who have roofs over our heads, running water, a bed to sleep in, and plenty of food to eat,
Let’s be seekers of God like the birds are seekers of food. Matthew 6:26 says: “BUT, seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things (privileges) shall be added to you.”