Wealth

Teaching Goal:  Count our blessings.

Scriptures:

Jeremiah 22:16 “He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?” declares the Lord.

Luke 12:48 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.

Materials:

• Pen and Paper
• Optional: Google and preview “video of third world poverty” to find an appropriate video.

1. Play theme song
2. Pray
3. Review last lesson
4. Lesson and Discussion

• Words written in bold are when the leader is speaking. Feel free to use your own words.

Even though we do not always think so, we are incredibly wealthy. We are going to take an inventory of things we have that we might take for granted. Do this together as a family or assign the tasks to individual family members.

Inventory

1          Point for each light switch

1          Point for each Bible

1          Point for each book

1          Point for each can of food

1          Point for each faucet, water source (inside and out)

1          Point for each shirt, pants

1          Point for each bathroom

1          Point for each dollar of annual income or annual allowance

Let’s look at the number of points we have compared to people around the world.

Inventory

Point for each light switch

• 30% of the world lacks electricity

Point for each Bible

• 200 million people without a Bible in their language
• The complete Bible has been translated into 438 of the worlds 7,000 languages (American Bible Society)

Point for each book (estimate)

• 1 out of 6 people in the world are unable to read or sign their names.

Point for each can of food

• 13% of the world is chronically undernourished (life threatening)

Point for each faucet (inside and out)

• 1 out of 6 people have inadequate access to water

Point for each shirt, pants

• Many in the world have just one shirt and pair of pants

Point for each bathroom

• 40% of the world lacks basic sanitation

Point for each dollar of annual income or annual allowance

• 50% of the world (3 billion people) lives on $2.50 a day ($912.50 a year).
• 80% of the world (4.8 billion people) lives on less than $10 a day ($3,650 a year)
• If you make $30,000 annually you are in the top 6% of the worlds wealthy.
• If you make $75,000 annually you are in the top 1% of the worlds wealthy.
• (You can calculate your specific income at www.leastof.org)

Other Statistics

What it would cost to provide:

Education for all people                                $6 billion

Water and sanitation for all people              $9 billion

Basic health and nutrition for all people     $13 billion

What people spend money on:

Cosmetics in the United States                   $8 billion

Ice cream in Europe                                      $11 billion

Pet food in Europe and the United States   $17 billion

Cigarettes in Europe                                     $50 billion

Illegal drugs around the world                      $400 billion

Source of Statistics

• Global Policy Forum www.globalpolicy.org
• Global Issues Forum http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats
• American Bible Society
• Gideons International
• Barna Group

Optional: View the video on third world poverty.

Read the scriptures Jeremiah 22:16 and Luke 12:48. Given what we have compared to the rest of the world, what do these scriptures mean to our family? Recognize all that we have. Have a grateful attitude. Be on guard for greed and the temptation to want more and more when others have so little. Talk about the ministries we support that help others—let the whole family know when you  are giving to others in need. Make one day of the week a day when we pray for specific countries and specific needs of the poor. Consider doing something extra as a family to share our wealth.

Memorize:

God gives so we can bless

Others who have less     

 Close in Prayer