Please stop at your boundary

“I felt so bad buying this, knowing it cost a year's salary for the people I’m here to help.” 

Those were the words of an American missionary working in Ghana, as he pulled on the gold bracelet on his wrist.  

It reminded me of a story I read in Peter Singer’s “The Most Good You Can Do”. 

Julia has given large amounts of money to effective charities. 

When she married, her and her husband agreed to living modest lives in order to give. 

In a five year span Julia and her husband gave away a third of their income, until finally deciding (as their income increased) to give away half.

When Julia was a child she noticed while she lacked for nothing she needed, there were others who did.

And since then, she has always seen every dollar she spends as a dollar taken out of the hands of someone who needs it more than she does. 

For Julia, the question has always been, not how much should she give, rather how much should she keep. 

Julia felt her decisions to donate or not, was the difference between someone else living or dying.

And being so convinced, she decided it would be immoral for her to have children.

She told her father of her decision..

“It doesn’t sound like this lifestyle is going to make you happy.” 

“My happiness is not the point.” 

Later Julia realized her father was right. Her decision not to have a child was making her miserable. 

And so Julia and her husband agreed they could raise a child and still give plenty. 

She now had something she could look forward to, and it raised her excitement about the future.

And with the new satisfaction with her life, she was more useful to the world than if she was miserable. 

Some people go too far. 

Some don’t go at all.