Chief Maquinna, Nootka: "Once I was in Victoria, and I saw a very large house. They told me it was a bank and that the white men place their money there to be taken care of, and that by and by they got it back with interest. "We are Indians and we have no such bank; but when we have plenty of money or blankets, we give them away to other chiefs and people, and by and by they return them with interest, and our hearts feel good. Our way of giving is our bank."
1ST EXAMPLE OF GOD'S ECONOMY: "...He said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30 Jesus replied, "A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. 31 12 A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. 32 Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
33 But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. 34 He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him.
35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, 'Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.' 36 Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim?" 37 He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." The victim (brother in need) did not request help, did not pay, yet he was fully and lovingly cared for. How did this happen? He had a genuine, Humane need. A brother, and un-dehumanized fellow being "saw" the need.
2ND EXAMPLE OF GOD'S ECONOMY: 2ND week of January 2007 Start Loving arrived at the White House with a few $'s in his pocket, zero plan for "survival" but a determination to give his life as effectively as possible to save his Darfur family. Well almost five months later Start Loving is alive and well. If he has "earned" his "survival," his "flourishing" actually it has been through continuing to give his life to "the least of these," and this has evoked Love / God in others to keep Her Son, Her brother alive. Three people in particular, but dozens in small ways have made it their business to keep their "brother" Start among them - alive and well. The only time I can remembering asking for anything is this weekend when my beloved sister who along with her husband have offered "whatever you need, whenever!" was asked by me to fund a book I desperately wanted for her family, the price of coffee and a plain bagle, Septa fare of $4.00, and $10 for a new watch battery. Over all that time Love / God through Her instruments large and small have "seen" the need and provided with no request of any kind from me:
* five months of food
* warm clothes
* shelter agains extreme weather
* water
* vitimins
* transportation as required
* assistance with the campaign - blogging, promotion, networking...
* new posters ($130)
PLEASE PONDER THESE TWO EXAMPLES: [TO BE CONTINUED]
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