Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
both low and high, rich and poor together. Psalm 49
What does the Psalmist wish us to hear with such urgency? And in the company of people who are starkly different in terms of their resources?
The Psalmist points all - low and high, rich and poor - to pay attention to wisdom, meditation, understanding, proverbs, riddles, meditation, and understanding which are all part of the wisdom traditions.
These wisdom traditions counsel those who are poor and afraid because others grow rich not to be afraid; and they remind those who are rich and pleased with their lot and praised for doing well for themselves that they cannot take their wealth with them when they die.
We live in times when the gap between the rich and the poor is ever growing. In Canada it is estimated that the top 20% of the population hold 70% of the wealth and the poorest people in our country do not share in the wealth at all. Those with modest means still have more resources and wealth than most of the people with whom we share this planet.
Why do these economic inequalities matter to Christians? One way of trying to answer this question is by thinking about human dignity. In our baptismal covenant we promise to "strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being." Some Christian theologians and ethicists, such as Douglas Hicks, argue that "inequalities matter to the extent that they obstruct at least some persons from realizing their human dignity within their own communities." Hicks goes on to say that:
The Christian story is a global one, and Christian theology and ethics can contribute to the stretching of the global imagination. It expands our vision not in terms of seeing every human as a potential consumer in a global market. Rather, Christian ethics views every person as a reflection of God’s image endowed with human dignity. (Read more here).
As you go about your day, watch for the ways in which the media and you view others, rich and poor, high and low. Pray that God will will help us all to expand our vision to see every person as a reflection of God's image.
Marilyn Malton
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