Privilege

A while back I found myself frustrated because people assume that because I am from the North East that I have known a level of privilege I have never known. Reality TV likes to show my "homeland" as nothing more than a bunch of spoiled and ungrateful people who get everything for nothing. The truth is I know what it is to work hard for something. I know what it is to do with out things that seem like necessities and I knew that long before I lived on what we call a seminary budget. I am not asking you to feel for me here, I am just trying to establish some context.

I do have a lot of privilege now and by privilege I do not mean money or stuff although if we measured stuff in just toys I might be eating my words. Lately though I am seeing how much privilege I do have and have always had. I grew up in a home with parents who loved me, siblings that got along pretty well. Even after my dad was sick and had to live away from us I still always knew I was loved. I was cared for even in those rough times when the ends didn't meet. I wasn't left to fend for myself, I had responsibility and I learned respect. My childhood was privileged.

My life is privileged. I get to work on my Master's Degree, school as stressful as it is, is a privilege. Living in a place where I have access to clean running water, privilege. Having a vehicle to drive, privilege. Knowing enough to budget well to feed my family mostly whole foods, privilege. Being a mom, privilege, wife, same deal. Spending the first two years of LG's life at home with her, super privilege, and I couldn't have done it with out help from a few key people in my life. Getting to worship when and how I want, privilege. I could go on and on forever.

While I hold firm to, I have never known the level of privilege that is projected upon me, I am none the less very privileged. I am sitting here wrestling with if it is ok to be grateful for the privileges I do have in life. I suppose it would be a crappy thing not to say thank you God. How do I humbly say I am grateful for all the privilege in my life with out sounding like a jerk? I am not sure but here goes...

Today I am grateful not only for the privilege I know but the gift of knowing that those very things are a level of privilege that some will never see. May I be faithful enough to work each day and bringing equal privilege to all people, particularly in the area of meeting basic human needs. May you be blessed by knowing the privilege you have and sharing it's fruits with those around you who need them.