Attitudes: Question: “My wife and I have serious concerns about affluence in the United States. Is it scriptural for Christians to maintain this level of affluence, or should we drastically change our life-styles so we can feed the world’s hungry?” Response: God’s Word contains an abundance of references about concern for the poor (Ps 82:1-4, Isaiah 1:17; Matthew 25:34-40, James 1:27, and 1 John 3:17-18—just to mention a few. No doubt our affluence blinds us to the real needs of other people. Many Christians’ biggest concern is how to reduce their tax burden, not how to put bread on the table. But to put all this in balance, God’s Word does not prohibit a Christian from having a surplus. In fact, I believe that God places Christians at every level of society, from the poorest to the most affluent, so we can witness to those around us. Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” What are the desires of our hearts? For those who seek to serve God, it’s not material indulgence. God promises His people an “abundance” if they care about others’ needs. “It is well with the man who is gracious and lends” (Ps 112:5). God has no difficulty with our affluence, provided that it’s used to help others and glorify Him.