How much is enough?

I stumbled across a blog the other day where they are doing a read-along of the book Radical by David Platt.  I picked this book up a few months ago and read it once and then started to read it again.  Today, they are reading Chapter 6 which is about how much STUFF is enough?  That chapter focuses mainly on material things, but I think this question applies also to our time and talents.  How much of my time am I willing to give to God?  How much of my talents/abilities am I willing to give to God?  But, as usual, we humans have the wrong perspective.  The question is not how much am I willing to give, but rather how much(little) do I need to keep? 

We have a responsibility to take care of our families first.  But what is our responsibility to our community, our world beyond that? 

I have never been one to live lavishly compared to our typical American standards.   I drive a 10yr old car.  I have a 27" CRT TV (i.e. not flat screen).  I don't have a lot of jewelry.  I don't wear fancy clothes.  My kids mostly wear hand-me-downs. 

But compared to the rest of the world, we live lavishly. 

We have a 2200sf house for the 7 (soon to be 8) of us.  We have two vehicles, an RV (think cheap vacations), cable, three computers in the house, three TVs in the house, cable TV, air conditioning, a pool in our backyard and one for the neighborhood across the street.  I have so many clothes to choose from that they hang on two racks in my closet - not counting the ones in my armoire.  We have fresh, clean, running water in our home for cooking, bathing, washing our clothes and other uses.  We have a pantry and refrigerator stocked full and we can run up to the store whenever we need something.

Yes, we have done some things that others might consider radical.  We have 3 bio kids and then adopted our daughter from China and we are in process for another child from China.  We sponsor kids through Compassion International, Amazima Ministries, Gospel for Asia, Show Hope and have supported families through World Vision.  We have donated to many families to help them bring home the children they are adopting.  We always give shoeboxes at Christmas through Operation Christmas Child.

We have spent time as a family volunteering at a local church that provides food to the homeless on Sundays.  We volunteered with Surfers for Autism a couple of months ago.  We are volunteering at Camp No Limits in a few weeks.  I helped start an orphan/adoption ministry at our church.

And I am doing crazy things to my hair.

But is it enough? 

NO! 

Despite what the world may think, the question is "How much more can we give?"  We really haven't begun to sacrifice yet.  No, we don't go to Disney - at all - despite living within 1 hour of the main gate.  We don't eat out a lot.  We don't take a lot of vacations and our kids don't have cell phones.  But we still live lavishly compared to the rest of the world. 

I don't mention these things to brag, but to try and put into perspective just how much radical devotion and committment to Jesus Christ really demands.  I haven't even come close to selling everything we have.  Yet in the world's eyes, we have given alot.  Unfortunately for us, God doesn't look at us through the world's eyes.  He looks into our heart.  (Prov 21:12)

So far, I'm not sure I like what God sees in my heart. 

I still need more heart surgery.