Average Income: The Reality Behind the Numbers
Hey everyone, Jason here with Christ Peer to Peer. I hope you’re all doing well. Today, I wanted to share some thoughts that have been on my mind lately about income and wealth in our country. 🕊️🙏
We live in a nation blessed with incredible wealth and resources. But sometimes, the statistics we hear can be misleading. Did you know that the median income in the U.S. is $75,000 a year? At first glance, that sounds promising. But let’s dig a little deeper. 📊
When we remove the top 1,000 highest earners from the equation, the median income drops drastically to $37,000 a year. This paints a very different picture. Rent is often around $2,000 a month, and the government takes a significant portion in taxes. For many, this means living paycheck to paycheck, struggling to make ends meet. 📉
Mark Twain once said, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” It’s easy to see why. Statistics can often distort the reality of a situation. When we include the ultra-wealthy, it skews the numbers, giving a false sense of economic health. 🏦
What if we included everyone in our statistics, including those who earn nothing? The real unemployment rate, when calculated with more realistic methods, is around 24%. One out of four people are unemployed or underemployed. Including these zeros would likely drop the average income to around $10,000 to $12,000 a year, indicating that the average person lives in poverty. 😞
Proverbs 22:16 says, “Whoever oppresses the poor for his own increase and whoever gives to the rich, both come to poverty.” This verse highlights the importance of fair treatment and justice for all. Wealth is meant to be shared and used to uplift others, not to hoard and oppress.
We must remember that money is just a tool for trade. It’s not meant to grow like living beings do. The practice of usury, or lending money at interest, was once considered a grave sin because it exploits others. Today, we see vast wealth concentrated in the hands of a few who could easily solve many of the world’s problems but choose not to. 💰
Let’s strive to use our resources wisely and justly. Let’s work towards a society where everyone has enough and no one lives in poverty.
For more insights on income and wealth distribution, you can check out the relevant Wikipedia article.
#WealthInequality #IncomeDistribution #FaithInAction #JusticeForAll #ChristianCompassion #EconomicJustice
Feel free to share your thoughts and let’s discuss how we can make a difference together. 🙏💬