We have heard for many years on the disparities between the poor and the rich, the Eastern and the Western regions in this vast country of mainland China. We have been using various objective and rational tools to measure how wide is the discrepancy, what are the impacts of this phenomenon on the society. We try to delineate precautions for intensification, as well as writing proposals for resolving the tensions heaped up by the discrepancy. These tools are relatively objective, analytical, problem solving base, sociological, but inhumane in nature. On the contrary, the perception of the issue on poor and rich disparity can be subjective. It is not the amount of wealth and property one owns or how much one owes the others that determine one is poor or rich. It matters with the personal perception one has on "himself" and others within a specific context of living condition. A millionaire may see himself as a poor person when he counts on all the things that he does not have. This is more psychological or social-psychological in nature. However there is still one more dimension, which should be treated intently. A sociological tool renders us a general analytical framework to diagnose the issue, where a social-psychological tool helps us to understand the issue from an individual and personal perspective. Yet a spiritual dimension can inspire us to look at the disparity from a more holistic, balanced and healthier outlook.

Recently there was a ministry opportunity held in one of the north-western provinces in China. Around 40 church leaders from northern, eastern, south-western and north-western regions came together for leaders' interaction and Bible teaching experience sharing. That was an interesting combination of leaders from diversified backgrounds in life style and church culture. Though not completely ignorant of the remote and difficult living conditions of the inland rural life, those coming from the northern and eastern China cities were astonished and stunned during that very first encounter with the pastors and church buildings in front of them. Sociologically and statistically they were aware of the abundance in resources and opportunities they have been enjoying in their own city churches. But it was not until that first occasion in their spiritual life that they began to realize the existence of the lag between the east (representing a prosperous life) and the west (remote and detached). They had adopted quite an urban mode of dynamic small group experience. Psychologically an open, cognitive and modern self-perception of themselves and their church life had been established before they came. A subconscious sense of superiority could be felt in the beginning of their interaction with the leaders from the western regions. But changes became more and more apparent when the biblical based interaction went deepened and extended.

As for those leaders from the north-western regions, it was no surprise to admit the scarcity in their living condition in contrast with the coastal cities. This self-awareness did not hinder them from sharing their real Sitz im Leben. One of the brothers shared boldly how his ragged and shabby village hut in a mountainous area was raided three times in the past by non-believers because of two reasons: he was preaching Jesus amongst the villagers and he was accused of deceiving them to decline their traditional belief and practice; and his home was an illegal church meeting point. He was raided for the fourth time just before he came to the meeting and even his daughter's textbooks were robbed. All of us were silent and then many were in tears. Suffering for Christ was so imminent and tangible. This brother must be living in every means an extremely poor circumstance we thought, measuring from the sociological tools. But quite the contrary his facial expressions and his tone of speech gave us a strictly opposite perception. We could smell the fragrant odor from Jesus' teaching of the Beatitudes. This brother seemed to be testifying a life of richness and abundance from within irrespective of the hardships and tortures in his daily living. It is this spiritual understanding of the issue on rich and poor that we may easily sacrifice in an economically fast growing society such as China.

The message does not end here. We closed the meeting by putting the teaching of Numbers chapter 7 into exercise. "Moses anointed the altar. That same day the leaders brought their offerings for dedicating the altar. They gave their offerings to the Lord at the altar. The Lord told Moses, "Each day one leader must bring his gift for dedicating the altar."" (7:10-11, ERV) We followed what the Lord had told Moses and invited all the leaders attending the camp to bring offerings before the Lord. But I was concerned about whether the "poor" brother would feel embarrassed and have less to offer comparing with others, or even nothing to give. The moment of counting the offering came. Envelopes with ¥100, 200, 500 notes inside were unwrapped one by one, and then some with 10, and…… We were deeply moved when we opened two envelopes, one with two fifty cents and the other with several one dollar notes.

Who are the poor and who are the rich? We tend to think logically that those who own and offer more must be rich or vice versa. What an experience and lesson I had out of this Christian ministry in China. I am sure that God appreciates and He will reward all the leaders, wherever they come from, according to His faithfulness. The one who offered the fifty cents notes well demonstrates his spiritual wealth and health condition. Poor and rich is not just a pair of sociologically and psychologically defined terminology. There is a spiritual dimension solidly founded on Jesus' ministry model rightly portrayed by Paul, "For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich." (II Corinthians 8:9, NRSV) He who has experienced the generous act of Jesus will be able to transcend the worldly poor and rich dilemma and enjoy the true abundance brought forth by our Lord.