--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not because food, clothes and…" description: "\"It is not because food, clothes and property are inherently evil that Christians today must lower their standard of living. It is because others are st..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/ronald-j-sider-37410_affection_it-is-not-because-food-clothes-and-prope_368658.png" --- # It is not because food, clothes and property are… ![“It is not because food, clothes and property are inherently evil that Christians today must lower their standard of living. It is because others are starving. Creation is good. But the one who gave us this gorgeous token of his affection has asked us to share it with our sisters and brothers.” quote by Ronald J. Sider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/ronald-j-sider-37410_affection_it-is-not-because-food-clothes-and-prope_368658.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/ronald-j-sider-37410_affection_it-is-not-because-food-clothes-and-prope_368658.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/ronald-j-sider-37410_affection_it-is-not-because-food-clothes-and-prope_368658.png) > “It is not because food, clothes and property are inherently evil that Christians today must lower their standard of living. It is because others are starving. Creation is good. But the one who gave us this gorgeous token of his affection has asked us to share it with our sisters and brothers.” [Ronald J. Sider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-j-sider/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Christians should not view wealth as evil but share resources because others lack basic needs. **In simple terms:** Share wealth to help the starving. Key Takeaway Practice generosity toward those in need. Themes faith social justice wealth sharing compassion Mood hopeful motivational Type ethical inspirational When to use this quote - church outreach - food banks - charitable giving - policy advocacy Key Concepts theology ethical stewardship global poverty Questions to Reflect On - How can individuals balance personal comfort with helping others? - What structures support equitable resource distribution? A Different Perspective Wealth can be misused if not guided by moral responsibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Brothers and sisters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brothers-and-sisters/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Clothes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clothes/) [Consumerism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumerism/) [Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Overconsumption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overconsumption/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Standards of living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standards-of-living/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [“No more running, no more half living, starving or fear. You have it better than me now, I think.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-hamill/no-more-running-no-more-half-living-starving-or-fear-you-have-it/) [Patricia Hamill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-hamill/) > [Significantly, God in Genesis 1 pronounces the rest of creation "good" before humanity is created. The psalmist and the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-clapp/significantly-god-in-genesis-1-pronounces-the-rest-of-creation-good/) Rodney Clapp > [He who wishes to exert a useful influence must be careful to insult nothing. Let him not be troubled by what seems absurd, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/he-who-wishes-to-exert-a-useful-influence-must-be-careful-to-insult/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“The purpose of man's creation is that he do good in the world, not substitute himself for God and think that he can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazlur-rahman/the-purpose-of-man-s-creation-is-that-he-do-good-in-the-world-not/) [Fazlur Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fazlur-rahman/) > [Is the Church inimical to science? Growing up as a Catholic and a scientist - I don't see it. One truth is revealed truth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murray/is-the-church-inimical-to-science-growing-up-as-a-catholic-and-a/) [Joseph Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murray/) > [“You are part of God's creation to do good works for Him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-kreider/you-are-part-of-god-s-creation-to-do-good-works-for-him/) [Heidi Kreider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-kreider/) > [My dear friends, God’s creation is one and it is good. The concerns for nonviolence, sustainable development, justice and peace, and care for our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/my-dear-friends-god-s-creation-is-one-and-it-is-good-the-concerns-for/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [God is the Creator God, he doesn't want to say, "Okay, creation was very good, but I'm scrapping it." He wants to say, "Creation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/god-is-the-creator-god-he-doesn-t-want-to-say-okay-creation-was-very/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [Responsibility for the creation of the good world in which the good life may be realized, which the frustrated ages of the past loaded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eustace-haydon/responsibility-for-the-creation-of-the-good-world-in-which-the-good/) Eustace Haydon > [I think that mathematics can benefit by acknowledging that the creation of good models is just as important as proving deep theorems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mumford/i-think-that-mathematics-can-benefit-by-acknowledging-that-the/) [David Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mumford/) > [“It's perhaps significant that God declares His completed Creation "very good" and that Adam is an afterthought, his goodness unspecified.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-manseau/it-s-perhaps-significant-that-god-declares-his-completed-creation/) Peter Manseau > [If the Christians who were alive in the 1770s behaved and believed like the Christians of today, there wouldn't be an America as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-terry/if-the-christians-who-were-alive-in-the-1770s-behaved-and-believed/) [Randall Terry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-terry/) > [“From the pastor who has an affair with his secretary, to the jerk at the office who happens to be a deacon, to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/from-the-pastor-who-has-an-affair-with-his-secretary-to-the-jerk-at/) [Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/) > [To some Christians today, this world is not a sinking ship or a world reserved for fire. It is an international capitol building overrun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wilkerson/to-some-christians-today-this-world-is-not-a-sinking-ship-or-a-world/) [David Wilkerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wilkerson/) > [“Once again, the point of this discussion is not to accuse Christians of endorsing torture and persecution. Of course most devout Christians today are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/once-again-the-point-of-this-discussion-is-not-to-accuse-christians/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) ## More by Ronald J. Sider > [In many parts of the Bible Belt, the divorce rate was discovered to be roughly 50 percent above the national average.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-j-sider/in-many-parts-of-the-bible-belt-the-divorce-rate-was-discovered-to-be/) [Ronald J. Sider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-j-sider/) > [ Evidence is mounting that faith-based service programs are often more successful than other programs in correcting social problems. \[It is wrong\] for government to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-j-sider/evidence-is-mounting-that-faith-based-service-programs-are-often-more/) [Ronald J. Sider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-j-sider/) > [What an ironic tragedy that an affluent, “Christian” minority in the world continues to hoard its wealth while hundreds of millions of people hover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-j-sider/what-an-ironic-tragedy-that-an-affluent-christian-minority-in-the/) [Ronald J. Sider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-j-sider/) > [God's Word teaches a very hard, disturbing truth. Those who neglect the poor and the oppressed are really not God's people at all—no matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-j-sider/god-s-word-teaches-a-very-hard-disturbing-truth-those-who-neglect-the/) [Ronald J. Sider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-j-sider/) > [It is a sinful abomination for one part of the world's Christians to grow richer year by year while our brothers and sisters ache…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-j-sider/it-is-a-sinful-abomination-for-one-part-of-the-world-s-christians-to/) [Ronald J. Sider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-j-sider/) > [“We need to make some dramatic, concrete moves to escape the materialism that seeps into our minds via diabolically clever and incessant advertising. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-j-sider/we-need-to-make-some-dramatic-concrete-moves-to-escape-the/) [Ronald J. Sider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-j-sider/) > [If we fail to feed the needy, we do not have God's love, no matter what we say. Regardless of what we do or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-j-sider/if-we-fail-to-feed-the-needy-we-do-not-have-god-s-love-no-matter-what/) [Ronald J. Sider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-j-sider/) > [Advertisers regularly con us into believing that we genuinely need one luxury after another. We are convinced that we must keep up with or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-j-sider/advertisers-regularly-con-us-into-believing-that-we-genuinely-need/) [Ronald J. Sider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-j-sider/) > [No one can do everything, but everyone can do something, and together we can change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-j-sider/no-one-can-do-everything-but-everyone-can-do-something-and-together/) [Ronald J. Sider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-j-sider/) > [“God thundered again and again through the prophets that worship in the context of mistreatment of the poor and disadvantaged is an outrage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-j-sider/god-thundered-again-and-again-through-the-prophets-that-worship-in/) [Ronald J. Sider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-j-sider/) > [This helpful book on the role of the arts fills a significant gap in the growing literature on holistic faith-based programs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-j-sider/this-helpful-book-on-the-role-of-the-arts-fills-a-significant-gap-in/) [Ronald J. Sider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-j-sider/) [Explore all 12 Ronald J. Sider quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-j-sider/) ## More Affection quotes > [My team and I have reunited two elements that coexist with diffiulty: respect and affection, because when they love you they don't respect you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/my-team-and-i-have-reunited-two-elements-that-coexist-with-diffiulty/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [“It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/it-is-to-build-a-house-with-affection-even-as-if-your-beloved-were-to/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [A lost love. Deny it who will, ridicule it, treat it as mere imagination and sentiment, the thing is and will be; and women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/a-lost-love-deny-it-who-will-ridicule-it-treat-it-as-mere-imagination/) [Dinah Maria Murlock Craik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/) > [Affection! Affection is false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/affection-affection-is-false/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [We are a spectacular, splendid manifestation of life. We have language. . . . We have affection. We have genes for usefulness, and usefulness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-a-spectacular-splendid-manifestation-of-life-we-have-language/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [Listen, I have a great affection and respect for Joe Biden. I think he's been a great vice president. He's taken on a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-axelrod/listen-i-have-a-great-affection-and-respect-for-joe-biden-i-think-he/) [David Axelrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-axelrod/) > [The still affection of the heart Became an outward breathing type, That into stillness past again, And left a want unknown before; Although the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-still-affection-of-the-heart-became-an-outward-breathing-type/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [I am persuaded that there is no affection of the human heart more exquisitely pure, than that which is felt by a grateful son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/i-am-persuaded-that-there-is-no-affection-of-the-human-heart-more/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [If you live in a material universe where acquiring things is very important to you, then family is an absolute deterrent to maintaining that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/if-you-live-in-a-material-universe-where-acquiring-things-is-very/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) > [Our sweetest experiences of affection are meant to be suggestions of that realm which is the home of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/our-sweetest-experiences-of-affection-are-meant-to-be-suggestions-of/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“Georgia O’Keeffe moved to rural New Mexico, from which she would sign her letters to the people she loved, “from the faraway nearby.” It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/georgia-o-keeffe-moved-to-rural-new-mexico-from-which-she-would-sign/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) [Browse all 2,465 Affection quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is not because food, clothes and property are inherently evil that Christians today must lower their standard of living. It is because others are starving. Creation is good. But the one who gave us this gorgeous token of his affection has asked us to share it with our sisters and brothers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ronald J. Sider" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-j-sider/it-is-not-because-food-clothes-and-property-are-inherently-evil-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Affection" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-j-sider/it-is-not-because-food-clothes-and-property-are-inherently-evil-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/ronald-j-sider-37410_affection_it-is-not-because-food-clothes-and-prope_368658.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/ronald-j-sider-37410_affection_it-is-not-because-food-clothes-and-prope_368658.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/ronald-j-sider-37410_affection_it-is-not-because-food-clothes-and-prope_368658.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is not because food, clothes and property are inherently evil that Christians today must lower their…” — Ronald J. Sider", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ronald J. Sider", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-j-sider/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is not because food, clothes...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-j-sider/it-is-not-because-food-clothes-and-property-are-inherently-evil-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-j-sider/it-is-not-because-food-clothes-and-property-are-inherently-evil-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```