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(Proverbs 31:25-26)
"She is clothed with strength and dignity; She can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue." |
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| Thursday, June 30, 2005 |
| A Compressed Perspective of the World |
If we could shrink the earth's population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like the following:
There would be:
57 Asians
21 Europeans
14 from the Western Hemisphere, north and south
8 Africans
52 would be female
48 would be male
70 would be nonwhite
30 would be white
70 would be non-Christian
30 would be Christian
6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's
wealth and all 6 would be from the United States.
80 would live in substandard housing
70 would be unable to read
50 would suffer from malnutrition
1 would be near death; 1 would be near birth
1 (yes, only 1) would have a college education
1 would own a computer
When one considers our world from such a compressed perspective, the need for acceptance, understanding and education becomes glaringly apparent.
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness...
you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation...you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death...you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep... you are richer than 75% of this world!
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace ... you are among the top 8% of the worlds wealthy.
If your parents are still alive and still married ...
you are very rare, even in the United States and Canada.
Let's all count our blessings.
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After reading this article, my first reaction to this article was of disbelief... I just can't believe that there will be so little people with computers! only 10 percent? In Singapore, I can safely estimate that there is at least 60 percent of the households here has computers. Even my neighbour next door has a computer! even though he has been proclaimed bankrupt. (dun ask me how he keep it from being auctioned away...) This made me realli start to think about how fortunate I'm really am. Some things that I take for granted is so easy! Like tap water, clean air, electricity at a switch. i start to complain when's there's blackouts, when ppl smoke in front of me, bleh bleh. I forgot all the lessons I learnt from my Thailand trip... as I live in the comforts of my home. Even then, I was getting irritated recently about my computer having problems... Always hanging when we need to do full-screen stuff...
And I also start to realize... how small my view can be. I may think I struggle so much with my finances... but like what the article said, as long i have money in my wallet, i am among the top 8 percent! it also reminds me of the disciples in indonesia, and other countries where there's extreme poverty in some areas. These disciples can even have problems providing 3 meals for themselves or their families; yet often than not, they are described as cheerful people! And that they are people who want to give. I recalled someone shared to me abt this little girl who had 2 necklaces... those shell DIY kind. She gave one to my friend! She is like the widow who gave even when she was in need. Even when she could ask my friend to give her things and it would be totally expected. No.. the little girl gave instead.
It made me think... whether I wanna be a receiver usually but a giver usually... I just wanna receive encouragements and be inspired. I give... but usually from what I already have. I give out of my excess. What a difference in attitude eh? And I guess this attitude really determines how truly joyful a person can be.
That's all I can sae for now... I'm still suffering from flu. Blehz. |
ranted by Jerraine @ 12:03 AM  |
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