The World: Something to Think About

If we could shrink the earth's population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like the following:

57 Asians, 21 Europeans, 14 from the Western Hemisphere, 8 Africans.

52 would be female, 48 male.

70 non-white, 30 white.

70 would be non-Christian, 30 Christian.

89 heterosexual, 11 homosexual.

6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth and all 6 would be from the United States.

80 would live in substandard housing, 70 would be unable to read, 50 would suffer from malnutrition.

1 would be near death, 1 near birth.

1 (yes, only 1) would have a college education, 1 would own a computer.

WHEN ONE CONSIDERS OUR WORLD FROM SUCH A COMPRESSED PERSPECTIVE, THE NEED FOR BOTH ACCEPTANCE, UNDERSTANDING AND EDUCATION BECOMES GLARINGLY APPARENT.


Some things to ponder:

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness...you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation...you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death..you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep...you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace...you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If your parents are still alive and still married...you are very rare, even in the United States and Canada.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful...you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder...you are blessed because you can offer a healing touch.

If you can read this message, you are blessed because over two billion people in the world cannot read at all.