The Rich & Poor

Just got back from my daily walk. I try to take walks often, at my age it’s a necessity. Many times during a walk my mind will wander and I’ll start thinking of things that, I guess, bother me deep down. This day and this walk was no different.

It’s a warm day here in Florida (I thank God for bringing me to this blessed state.) The heat got me thinking about the sun, the source of all energy we enjoy here on earth. I was thinking about solar flares as yesterday was supposed to be a strong one, (I didn’t notice a thing.) Even so, I was thinking about the stability of our sun and what would happen if it went nova? Or perhaps just a really strong burp that would send solar material our way and burn our planet to a crisp. I pray our Lord will not let that happen anytime soon. And as I was contemplating such an event it occurred to me that everyone rich, poor, and otherwise would meet the same end.

This got me thinking of the vast difference between the super-rich and the extremely poor on this earth. What good will all that money do for the rich? Not a bit of good, Nada! Not only the super-rich but the comfortably rich, the almost rich, and the upper-middle-class that can afford that expensive house, big crew cab pickup trucks, SUVs, and RVs. That brought my thoughts to myself. By today’s standards, I’m poor. I don’t own a house or a car (I take the bus). I live in a small apartment living on social security. I’m poor, yet compared to many in third-world countries, I would be considered rich. I have food to eat, where many are so poor they have no food. I have good clothes, shoes, a comfortable bed, where many in other places have none of that. Now compare these poor people in other countries to the super-rich. When thinking of this I feel ashamed!

I’m ashamed that humanity would let the rich, especially the few who hold the majority of the money, neglect the poor of the world. How can it be possible for the rich to neglect those who so desperately need help? Why is it that people turn their backs on those who are hungry, hurting, and dying? The rich and even the almost rich should stop hoarding their riches and lift the poor up. But they don’t and I’m ashamed of this world.

When we die, we all die the same. Nobody can take their riches with them. The rich person who had everything will lay beside the poor person who had nothing. May God judge rightly between them.