Just use of wealth and power

Mark, leader of The Fitness Race just sent me a great quote from Bush the Elder (George Herbert Walker Bush, President #41): “Use power to help people. For we are given power not to advance our own purposes…There is but one just use of power, and it is to serve people.”

Our senior pastor, Bill Hybels has a very similar one, regarding money, that I also endorse. It goes something like this:
"The reason God allows some people to have greater riches than others is so they can do greater good."

The idea was that some good works require major resources. That ties in nicely with Jesus' teaching in Luke 12:48: "... Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required..."

I was shocked to learn last week at the Willow Creek Association's Leadership Summit that among Willow Creekers who are participating members and consider themselves fully-devoted followers of Jesus Christ, only 50% tithe.

In my opinion, even atheists in America should tithe to whatever causes they consider good, because no people in history has ever had the resources we now enjoy. Giving back a tenth to help others seems the absolutely minimum required, even if our only goal were to keep others not so blessed from rising up against the injustice of our having so many more resources.