I recently calculated how much money I have invested in stuff. Bass gear, clothes, DVDs, CDs... you know... "stuff." I wanted to puke. Seriously.
None of the bass stuff I have is really a necessity. I mean, yes, it is my primary source of income. Yes, it's something that I love. However... 3 basses, 2 rigs, and a pedalboard... I sat and said to myself: "Really? ...REALLY?!" Disgusting. I've invested over $12K into gear. Meanwhile, there are people that can't afford a meal this week.
Really.
This, after having an extensive talk with a friend of mine about how we, as Christians, suck. He's Jewish... he can say that. Also, because we (or at least I) do. Maybe it's just the capitalist culture that we live in... or perhaps it's the world as a whole; but we seem to have the impression that money makes everything better:
- People are dying in Africa... we send money.
- Orphans need food... we send money.
- We see a homeless guy... we give him money.
Why don't we do something useful? Why don't we take action (more than the stroke of a pen in a checkbook)? To utilize an overused quote, Gandhi said "Be the change you want to see in the world." I'm going to start trying; but it's easier said than done. So, note to self: "Get up off your ass and do something."
To utilize another quote:
"I have three things I'd like to say today. First, while you were sleeping last night, 30,000 kids died of starvation or diseases related to malnutrition. Second, most of you don't give a shit. What's worse is that you're more upset with the fact that I said shit than the fact that 30,000 kids died last night.”
- Tony Campolo
Word.
